


Welcome to the Family

by LivetoDream333 (orphan_account)



Series: The Bond Family [1]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: And angst, Becoming a family, Betrayal, Bombings, Child Abuse, Cuddling & Snuggling, Eating Disorders, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, Past Rape/Non-con, Possessive James Bond, Q has a Daughter, Q hates planes, Q is a parent, Torture, Triggers, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 13:08:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 53,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/LivetoDream333
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James had the unfortunate sinking feeling—in the sixth month of their friendship—that he was falling in love with the man. It was confirmed by the eighth when he woke up in Q’s office after a mission and Q had closed the door and worked silently for the majority of the day. Q had handed him a cuppa and James caught himself staring into green eyes for a bit longer than necessary, but at least he had the emerald rings memorized.<br/>When James finally got the guts to ask Q out for dinner, he found the Quartermaster in his office, happily playing with his daughter on the floor. Melanie looked just like her father too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Well, kiddos, here's my problem. I know I should be writing Dream a Little Dream...but I've gotten distracted with a few other stories, so I'm sort of going to put it to a vote, whichever one draws the most attention/affection wins because I can't make up my mind.

Prologue

 

The door opened to the house and a young girl walked in. She was no more than seven, with brown waves pinned back out of her sweet face and blue eyes, she had a small bag on her back and she rushed through the house: a girl on a mission. “Hello, Ellie, how was—”

“I don’t feel well, gonna go sleep, Daddy.” Melanie stated, rushing up the stairs.

“Did you notice anything—?” James asked, looking up from the toddler who had curled up, sleeping in his lap.

“Yeah…tears on her face.” Q agreed. “Don’t get up, James, I’ll go talk to her.” Q nodded before walking up the stairs quickly, knocking on the closed door. “Ellie? Ellie, can I come in?” He could hear a single sniffle, and then nothing.

“Come in.” Her voice didn’t waver a bit. Q stepped into the room and looked curiously at the girl on the bed. She was good. There was no evidence of her tears, except for the slight gloss in her eyes, every other shred of evidence had gone.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Q asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Nothing, I just don’t feel well.”

“You don’t cry when you’re sick, Melanie.” Q stated, the use of her full first name made her shrink just a little, her dad knew she wasn’t sick. “What’s wrong, darling? You don’t cry…” Q stated, gently touching her hand. She grabbed his hand tightly and he smiled gently. “You can tell me, you know…”

“Friday’s Parent Day.” She said, rolling her eyes, as if that explained everything. Q should slap Eve for teaching her how to roll her eyes that well.

“Alright, I’ll bite, what’s wrong with that?”

“I can’t bring anyone with me!”

“Why in the world not?”

“Because they said I couldn’t cuz they say you and Papa don’t count.”

“Who said that?” Q asked, sounding just the slightest bit irked. “Surely not Mrs. Riley or I will be having a serious discussion with her—”

“No, not her, everyone in the class. They say I can’t have you and Papa there cuz you aren’t _real_ parents.”

“Did you talk to Mrs. Riley about it?”

“Well…no… But they said mean things about both of you… I don’t know why they would do that.”

“My dear, people are cruel sometimes…but I promise you, we can go on Friday. If you want us there, we’ll be there. We’ll take the day off and maybe go to the park afterwards, ice cream and all.”

“You’re trying to placate me.”                                                                     

“Good word usage,” Q smiled, impressed.

“It was one of the ten words I learned today… It was on the page I opened in the dictionary… But seriously, Daddy—”

“Darling, no one can stop you from taking us, alright? Those kids just don’t understand alright?”

“I tried to tell them…but I don’t know how…”

“You want the whole story?”

“But I thought you said—”

“You’re old enough now. I think I can tell you.” Q smiled. “Want to hear a story?”

“Do I get tea?” Melanie asked with a smile. Daddy always made her tea for stories.

“Not this time…” Q said, wrapping her up in a blanket. “That would require me going downstairs to make it, I’ll tell you everything now and afterwards I’ll make you dinner.”

“Alright, deal,” Melanie nodded.

“It began with—well, how does any good story start?—a bomb.”


	2. B for Baby, Q for Quartermaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story and All is Fair... will be my top priorities for the next little while, due to public response. Thank you everyone. :D  
> I still don't own James Bond.

B for Baby, Q for Quartermaster

 

“You’ve been promoted.” M nodded to Gabriel.

“Ma’am?”

“We were going to promote you to Quartermaster at the end of the month, smooth the transition, but the bomb killed Geoffrey so, we have to do this now.”

“But ma’am that should be R’s job, he’s been here much longer than—”

“You’re the man for the job and everyone knows it. Do what you need to do to get set up, Q, I’ll have your clearance updated—not that you need it—and I’ll make sure everyone knows to take orders from you. Get going, we need this place back in working order.”

“Yes, M.” Q nodded.

“Get to it, if you need anything, ask R, I am busy.”

“Of course, ma’am.” Q nodded before he watched her leave, taking a deep breath… Brave new world.

800Q8

“Sorry, I missed your calls, Ben, I was stuck at work…”

 _“Stuck at work_?” Ben asked over the phone.

“You know how you said I’d get a promotion?”

_“Yeah? DID YOU GET IT?”_

“Not just that, I’m the head of my branch now…”

_“No kidding…you must be terribly busy then.”_

“Oh, not so much anymore, got everything up and running smoothly now. Should be mostly normal work hours now…well normal for me, you know.”

_“Well, congrats, glad to know my twin isn’t a total bum.”_

“Shut up, Benny. Just because you’re rich and married and a father does not mean my life isn’t just as amazing.”

“ _I know, I know…Mr. Secret.”_ Ben chuckled. “ _I know…this may be a bit much especially with your new promotion and all but…can I ask a favor?”_

“You know you don’t have to ask that, Ben. I owe you a million.”

“ _Yeah…well… You’re the only one Meg and I trust. I have a business trip to Chicago for a week… I called you a few days back…but I have to leave tomorrow and Meg’s going with me. We have someone else who can look after Melanie, but I’d really rather have you, if it’s no trouble.”_

“That’s fine. I can manage that.” Q promised. “How is my beautiful niece?”

 _“Perfect, quiet, and beautiful. She’s an angel, couldn’t ask for anyone better.”_ Ben sighed happily. Q smiled, his brother and sister-in-law had been trying for years…Melanie had literally been a miracle.

“Wonderful. I can handle that, I’d love to have her over. I have to teach her how to destroy your life.” Q grinned.

“ _If you teach her horrible things while I’m away I_ will _destroy you, little brother.”_

“I’m only a minute younger.”

“ _As I said, little brother. Tomorrow morning?”_

“Of course.”

_“Half seven?”_

“I’ll be home, promise.” Q nodded, being Q meant he had the ability to do most of his work from home… He’d have to tell M though.

“ _Thank you, Gabriel.”_

“No problem, send Meg my love, won’t you?”

_“Meg, Gabe loves you… She told me to tell you you don’t have an ice cube’s chance in hell.”_

“Thanks…” Q snorted.

 _“See you tomorrow_.”

“Bright and early.” Q agreed before he hung up and dialed another number.

“ _Hello_?”

“M, would you mind very much if I worked from home, barring any emergencies?”

 _“Why would you ask that question? You haven’t missed a bloody day in five years.”_ M’s voice was questioning.

“Ma’am, my brother and his wife are leaving town and can’t take my goddaughter on a plane…would you mind if I—?”

 _“How old is she?”_ M’s tone was lighter. Children were a soft spot of hers, she’d had three, she was a softy when it came to them.

“A month, almost.”

_“Lovely…well…don’t make babysitting a habit, we need you.”_

“I know, thank you, so much.”

_“If there is an emergency, be able to come in.”_

“Of course.” Q nodded. The line went dead and Q sighed in relief. That was easier than he imagined.

800Q8

“You’ve got everything?” Meg asked again, looking around, still clinging to her baby girl as if her life depended on it. Ben stood next to her, looking a bit lost.

“Everything, I’ve got it.” Q nodded. Really, he had everything. A crib, bottles on bottles of milk and extra formula, diapers, wipes, ointments, creams, baby soap, pacifiers, toys, and the blankets…they never ended. “She’ll be alright here.” Q promised.

“I know…it’s just…” Meg obviously didn’t want to let go, not on her life.

“I promise I won’t teach her anything inappropriate…however if she ends up having an inane knowledge of programing it can’t be helped and it wasn’t my fault.” Q smiled, trying to ease the tension.

“Darling…we’ll be late.” Ben whispered.

“I know…I know…” Meg frowned and kissed Melanie’s forehead. “We’ll be back home soon, my love. Don’t listen to anything Uncle Gabe tells you, alright?” Melanie blinked, but did nothing more. Melanie had her mother’s eyes, a bright, clear, Caribbean blue—a shade no infant had on their own, but everything else belonged to her father. She was adorable and tiny, swaddled in white. Ben kissed Melanie’s head gently.

“Bye Mels, I’ll bring you back something pretty, something deserving of my angel.” Ben promised before he barely managed to get her out of her mother’s grip and into Q’s arms. “Thank you, Gabe.”

“Don’t mention it, she’s beautiful, I miss spending time with her.” Q smiled, rocking her slightly.

“Make sure to—”

“Darling…she’s in the safest hands in the world, I reckon, she’ll be alright.” Ben grinned.

“I know…but…”

“I know, my love.” Ben agreed. “Take care of her.”

“I will, promise.” Q nodded.

“See, everything’s fine.”

“Alright…” Meg nodded. “Bye sweetheart. Mummy loves you.”

“And daddy.” Ben added with a warm smile before he and Meg nodded at Q and left the flat.

“You’ve got some good parents you know. They love you a lot.” Gabriel smiled as the door locked. Melanie turned her face towards him and he smiled. “We’ll get along just fine and when your mummy and daddy get back, you can tell them that they shouldn’t ever doubt me. I’ll be your favorite uncle, promise…well, I’m your only one…but you know, it counts.” Q said, glancing at the rather extensive list on his table. “What is tummy time?” Diapers, bed times, feeding, burping, changing, swaddling, holding, playing, umbilical cord, smiles, and soft voices he understood. What in the world was tummy time? “Do you think the internet will know, Ellie?” He smiled gently at her and sat down in his chair, holding her close.

Seven hours and the news hit as Melanie lay on her belly, Q sitting next to her, letting her hold his index finger in her fist, gumming on the tip of it. He smiled and cooed at her while working with his left hand on a keyboard. He felt strangely like the tiny girl next to him. She couldn’t see much of anything a foot away from her face…Q could sympathize. She liked it quiet and calm, just like Q, so they got along—she did like hearing Q’s voice though, she always kicked her feet a little and looked towards him when he spoke. However, she very much hated the ring of the telephone and stated such by crying.

“Sorry, Ellie.” Q whispered, putting his laptop down and picking her up, heading for the phone as he rocked her. “Hello?”

“ _Is this a Mr. Gabriel Shaw_?”

“Yes, who is this?” Q asked cautiously. Only two people had his home phone number.

“ _Sir, I’m sorry to tell you this but…there’s been an accident_.”

“What sort of accident? Shh, Ellie, shh…” Q soothed, rocking her back and forth, calming her.

“ _A plane crash, sir. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson had you as their emergency contact_.”

“Are they alright?”

“ _Mrs. Thompson was…dead on impact_.”

“Fuck.”

“ _I’m sorry, but Mr. Thompson didn’t make it to the hospital. We are aware they have a daughter, we haven’t been able to find—”_

“Melanie’s with me.” Q said, his voice breaking twice tears in his eyes. “She’s safe.”

“ _I’m sorry, sir…we meant to call and ask about allergies but…”_

“Thank you for telling me.”

“ _Sorry for your loss, sir_.” The line went dead and Q dropped the phone, pulling Melanie closer and sobbing. He’d lost his brother, his safety, his protection for years, his rock, his best friend and his loving wife who’d become a little sister to Q… But Melanie had lost two loving parents before she’d truly been able to know them.

Melanie went silent, as if she knew that something had just gone terribly wrong in her perfect world.

800Q8

Q met his neighbor for the hundredth time: a single mother of a fifteen-year-old—a very mature one at that. The daughter’s name was Jennifer, but calling her that only earned a sharp glare and a pointed: My name’s Jen. Needless to say, Jen was an official babysitter the next day when R called Q in.

“Hello, Q, are you alright? You look a bit…”

“I’m fine.” Q answered. “What’s going on?” He asked as M walked into the room.

“Delivery, we have the equipment packed up for Bond and need you to take a flight.”

“I’m not going, send anyone else.”

“Q?”

“I don’t care what you fucking say, I’m fucking afraid of flying on more than one level now. I’m not going, send someone else. Maybe Eve if she’s bored. Go away I have work to do.” Q shooed him and R looked at him strangely before leaving. “What do you want, M?”

“Are you fit to work?”

“You know?” Q asked.

“You had two, living, blood-relatives, Q…easy to notice when one dies along with your only in-law.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll make sure the transition goes over well and that you have nothing to worry about. I realize you have, some questionable identities and custody could be a bit sour if they started digging. Melanie will be yours no questions asked at all.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“I suggest you find a semi-permanent baby sitter, you’ll need one to continue working as Q. I’ll be as flexible as I can with your hours, but you know emergencies will bring you in whenever they want to.”

“I know, I’ve found one already.”

“I’m sorry, Q. I know you were close to your brother.”

“Thank you, M, now please let me work.” M instantly went cold, knowing that was what Q needed.

“Quit your moping, I hired you to do a job not dawdle.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Q nodded before getting right to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	3. Baby in Q-Branch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the support everyone, not just on this, but on everything. It makes me happy. :)  
> Enter baby Melanie.

Baby in Q-Branch

 

“Mall—I mean M?” Q knew M knew about Melanie and how they had come to be, even though M never said a word about it after saying ‘you can still have your weekends and nights off, barring emergencies’. Q had taken it as a silent understanding.

“ _Yes, Q?”_ Mallory responded a sigh in his tone. Ten months and they still had trouble calling him M.

“I hate to ask this of you, but my sitter is busy and can’t watch my daughter tomorrow…would you mind it very much if I bring her with me…? I can’t really afford to miss tomorrow’s meeting and—”

_“It should be alright…”_

“Thank you, M.”

_“Well, I wasn’t going to make you leave her alone. How old is she now?”_

“Eleven months.” Q smiled. He’d fumbled along the way…several hundred times, but he’d finally gotten a bit of a hang of taking care of another human permanently. He didn’t know what he’d do without Melanie… Had he not had her to come home to, sometimes he wondered if he’d ever come home at all. Melanie kept him sane on the bad days and brought him home on the worst of them.

“ _Crawling around_ _yet_?”

“Attempting to walk now, she can manage it if you hold her hand.” Q said proudly. She was smart and stubborn and perfect, absolutely perfect.

_“Lovely, is that all you needed?”_

“Yes, sir.”

 _“Goodnight,_ _Q._ ”

“Goodnight, sir.”

800Q8

James Bond would like to think that he and Q had become good friends since they had met. Q still complained every time he brought equipment back…or not…usually the latter and occasionally teased his age and James typically brought back pieces on purpose and taunted Q’s apparent youth incessantly. Somewhere between the banters and quips and Q saving James’ life a dozen times and James defending Q once or twice when he’d been in the field the two of them had struck up a solid, _trusting_ friendship—trust of the utmost importance. And, even though James never brought home all of his equipment, he did manage to bring Q back a few different teas from around the world. Q had made him an exploding pen…and then not told James how it worked, just so James couldn’t blow anything up.

Of course, there was nothing in Q’s file. Not a damn thing about him except that he was Q and worked at MI6 and was thirty-three. Nothing more, nothing less. James had tried to find out information about him at the very beginning of their friendship, as he’d done the moment he met M. Q was cleverer and better with computers. There wasn’t a thing about him to be found.

James had the unfortunate sinking feeling—in the sixth month of their friendship—though that he was falling in love with the man.

It was confirmed by the eighth when he woke up in Q’s office after a mission and Q had closed the door and worked silently for the majority of the day. Q had handed him a cuppa and James caught himself staring into green eyes for a bit longer than necessary, but at least he had the emerald rings memorized.

James was back from Brazil, not a bullet fired, no one dead, no wounds, no equipment harmed, and all of the information he’d set out to get in hand. Hoping it would be a good start, a possible way to convince the man to have dinner one night…then maybe another few after that one. That’s what James hoped anyway.

“Welcome back, James.” Eve grinned as she walked past.

“Good morning, Miss Moneypenny.” James smiled.

“Q’s in his office, knock first, he’s a bit busy today.” Eve smiled.

“Thank you, Eve.” James nodded at her before heading straight to the office. He didn’t bother to knock, the panel next to his door turned green the instant he approached the door. Q had been expecting him and it was always a welcome if the door unlocked for anyone. The fact that it was locked that way meant Q didn't want to be disturbed by anyone... There were days where Q simply locked everyone out to work on his own. James felt lucky that he was allowed in on such a day. He opened the door to see Q sitting on the ground.

“Come on, you can do it, come on.” He said gently. He was talking to a beautiful baby girl in a light pink dress. She was standing, by herself a little bit out of reach, just staring at him, looking unsure.

“Dada…”

“Come on, Ellie.” The little girl took a tentative, shaky, step and then another and then another and then promptly started falling forward, reaching for Q. He grabbed her and pulled her up into his arms. “That’s a good girl. Brilliant, Ellie.” He grinned, kissing her cheeks sweetly. “You did it, you did it.” Q smiled happily before he noticed James. “Oh, sorry.” Q stated, getting up and pulling the little girl up with him. She giggled slightly, smiling a smile that had only four very small teeth.

“It’s alright… First steps?” James asked, feeling crushed, but happy at the same time—emotions are strange creatures, a heart can break all while being happy for someone else entirely.

“Yes, they are.” Q smiled proudly at the little girl. The little girl looked like Q, same dark curls and facial features under the roundness of an infant’s face.

“You never told me you had a daughter.”

“Yes, well, not many people know, can’t really go around telling people. M knew…and after today you and Eve know.” Q shrugged, straightening her dress out and kissing her cheek. She giggled again, kicking her feet idly.

“You’ve had her here and kept her a secret?”

“Yes, I’m good or else I wouldn’t be Q.” Q commented. "I can hide something from others when I want."

“What’s her name?”

“Melanie.” Q grinned as Melanie grabbed his tie, amused by the colors.

“She’s adorable, looks a lot like you.”

“I’ve been told that…” Q said, sounding a little somber. “Anyway, did you actually bring back anything or did you crush it under something just to irritate me?”

“It all survived.” James said, carefully putting everything on the desk, making sure not to point anything near the little girl who was still obsessively looking at her father’s tie, muttering small little syllables.

“I’m amazed, James.” Q chuckled, slowly starting to set Melanie—

“Can I hold her?”

“Um…sure. She’s a bit clingy though if she likes someone. Knowing her she’ll like you and I’ll never be able to take her home.” Q rolled his eyes and gently handed her over. Melanie slowly let go of Q’s tie and he set off to work, looking over everything James had brought back. Melanie looked up at James with wide eyes.

“Hello, Mels.” James smiled warmly at her.

“Say hello, Ellie.” Q said gently, she looking instantly towards his voice and saw him wave a hand gently. “Say hello.” She made a small, little wave, curling and uncurling her fingers before she looked back at James. She was absolutely adorable. James gently swayed, just a bit and she looked at him curiously for a moment before she smiled and tipped forwards, her head meeting his shoulder, fingers gripping his jacket tightly.

“Oh, dear, she’s decided she likes you. Heaven help me.” Q sighed, putting everything into a box.

“Everyone likes me.” James teased.

“That’s why people shoot at you, right?” Q rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to anything he tells you, Ellie, trust me.” There was a loud knock on the door and Q went to answer it opening it only a crack. “Yes?”

“Sir, we need you, there’s been a problem in the lab.” Q looked back at James who nodded simply.

“Go on, it’s alright.” James promised, holding onto Melanie.

“Alright.” Q nodded after a second before he rushed off, closing the door behind him. James smiled and gently kissed the top of Melanie’s head before he sat down on the sofa, holding her around her soft middle so that she could stand on his legs. She smiled at him and looked around the room, interested.

“Hello, Mels…” She turned and did the small waving motion again. “Of course this would happen… Fall in love with someone and they’re married with kids.” James sighed and shook his head. “That’s my luck. Someone I can actually trust, someone I love and they’ve been taken.”

“Hep?” It sounded like a question and she frowned at James, obviously sensing something was upsetting him.

“Not your fault, beautiful. You’re an absolute angel.” James smiled and kissed her cheek. He didn’t know why he’d always been fond of children, perhaps because they didn’t try to kill him or because they were what he could never be or maybe because his personality was so wrapped up in being protective. Melanie smiled back and twisted a little, sitting down in his lap, he shifted so he had one hand free and she latched out and grabbed it, looking it over with interest and clinging to it. She let go of it after her head turned ever so slightly. She twisted away and started to crawl away. For a brief moment James thought she would fall, so he grabbed her.

She let out a soft whine and reached out with one of her hands. James let go of her and she crawled across the sofa, grabbing a small toy and coming back to sit on his lap, leaning against his stomach, she held the little white thing up, shaking it in her hand. “Ti.” James gently touched the stuffed animal, realizing after a second that it was a white tiger cub.

“Do you like tigers?” James wondered gently.

“Ti, Ti, Ti…” Melanie muttered, pulling the stuffed creature close and prodding at the green beady eyes, snuggling up to the soft toy. She was very smart for such a tiny, little thing, James suspected it was down to Q, the man was brilliant, you’d have to expect his daughter to be as well. She was perfectly content with sitting in her little corner with her stuffed tiger.

“Have you ever seen a real tiger before?” James wondered idly, knowing she couldn’t really answer those sorts of questions, she was smart, but not abnormally.

“Yoo Ti?” She asked, holding it out, offering the tiger out to him.

“For me? That’s sweet of you, princess. Thank you.” James smiled at the surprisingly unselfish child. How many children simply offered up toys to complete strangers? “You can hold it for now, okay, Mels?”

“Ti…” Melanie sighed holding it close again. The door opened and closed quietly and quickly.

“Sorry about that—”

“Da! Dada!” Melanie giggled and pointed at him, the tiger temporarily forgotten, dropped in James’ lap.

“Hello, beautiful.” Q smiled. At the word hello, she did a very small little wave with her tiny fist. “Hope she wasn’t much trouble.”

“She wasn’t at all. Tried to give me her tiger?”

“Ti? She tried to give you Ti?” Q asked with wide eyes, frozen in place. “You’d better run while you can or she’ll never let you go. Ti’s her favorite, if she offered you Ti you’re one of her favorites as well.”

“There’s a club for favorites?” James wondered.

“Don’t know how she picks them, just some people she likes some people she doesn’t.” Q shrugged, sitting on the floor again. He obviously seemed very used to sitting on the floor, cross-legged. James smiled and gently took the tiger from her, standing her up on the ground, letting go of her. She held on to his knee loosely. “Come see daddy?” Q asked. She looked at him and smiled, letting go and taking a few steps. One, two, three, four, five—she gasped as she lost balance and reached out instantly for Q’s hands, using them to catch herself. “Good job, Ellie.” Q grinned and kissed her forehead lovingly, making a kissing sound. Melanie pressed an open mouthed kiss to Q’s cheek, sloppy and sweet. “Love you too, darling.” Q smiled, pressing one more kiss against her nose. “Sorry for leaving her with you…there was a bit of an explosion with would have been alright had it not set fire to the lab. They’re idiots sometimes.”

“It’s fine, she’s absolutely adorable.” James smiled.

“Didn’t think you’d be the type to enjoy the company of children.” Q commented.

“Hard not to when you’re surrounded by blood all of the time…it’s a change…a good one. Life rather than death, you know?”

“I suppose I do…” Q stated, glancing at the time. “Should get you down for a nap, shouldn’t I, Ellie?” She didn’t respond. “Thank you for looking after her, James.”

“Not a problem.” James said, standing up as Q managed to find a blanket and wrapped Melanie up in it. He left as Q swaddled the little girl expertly, kissing her cheeks gently and starting some music on an iPod, something classical, but James had never heard it before.

James had planned to ask Q out to dinner…but instead he ended up taking out his frustrations of his poor luck out in the shooting range.

800Q8

James was on his way out when he noticed Q sneaking out, trying to carry a million things and a sleeping baby all at once. Q jumped when James caught up to him and opened the door. “Thank you.” Q whispered gratefully.

“Not a problem.” James smiled. “How are you going to get home?”

“The tube, why?” His voice kept low so Melanie wouldn’t wake up.

“You’re not taking the tube, Q… I’ll take you both home.”

“Are you sure—?”

“Yes…come on, Q.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	4. Would You Like Some Tea?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a Series of Unfortunate Events reference in here.  
> Oh and James asks Q on a date. :D

Would You Like Some Tea?

 

James carried some of Q’s things up the stairs to Q’s flat. They paused at a door and Q punched in numbers on a pad, too quickly for James to understand and opened the door quietly, holding it open for James. The flat was small and clean, probably a bit too small for a growing family, but James didn’t mention it. “One second, I’m just going to get Ellie settled.” Q smiled gently, pulling the babe out of her carrier tenderly, without waking her, and carried her off to a room down the short hallway. James looked around the room and saw a picture of Q—sans glasses—and a young woman and Ellie in the hospital, proud parents.

That would be James’ luck. Someone he falls in love with is already in love and married…and has a daughter. A truly beautiful daughter. James was happy for the man though, glad that he was happy. “Sorry.” Q sighed after closing the door and coming back into the living room. “Here, let me take that off your hands.” He said, pulling away the bag from James’ shoulder, putting it away neatly in the room. He paused when he saw a note on the breakfast nook that opened the kitchen into the living room. “God bless you, Jen.” He sighed, slipping the note onto the fridge.

Jen…his wife’s name was Jen. Lucky woman. James sighed heavily. He wished he could be that woman, get to have Q all to himself…have that sweet of a daughter. James mentally cursed at himself and wanted to know when in the hell he’d become such an insufferable romantic.

“Would you like some tea, James?”

“Yes, please.” James said after a moment of hesitation.

“Just a moment. Make yourself at home.” Q offered, nodding to the couch. There was only one thing on the black leather sofa other than the red pillows and that was a tiny, stuffed kitten.

“Kitten?”

“Ellie likes cats. Take her to a toy store and offer her the whole damn thing and she always reaches for cats. I think I’ll get her a kitten when she gets a little older.” Q smiled fondly. “Maybe a second or third birthday, depending… I used to have one…well, she was a stray, but she used to spend a lot of time at my old flat. I like cats.” Q said, bringing two mugs of tea into the living room, shutting off the kitchen lights with an elbow as he went, and handing one to James. James was surprised when it was made perfectly to his liking.

“You’re wife away on business?” Q snorted and nearly spat out his tea, he covered his mouth, wiping the small bit that had dribbled free away and taking a moment to swallow the rest.

“Wife?”

“Well, yes… Oh…is she not—?” What if she’d left him? God what had James just started? What if she died? What if they’d divorced? God…what had James just brought up?

“James I’m not married. I never have been.” Q chuckled. James glanced at the picture again, seeing rings clearly.

“But… I don’t understand.” Q followed James’ eyes and sighed.

“Oh, yes…well that confuses things. That picture is of Benjamin James Shaw and his wife Megan Shaw.”

“And?”

“Ben was my twin brother.” Q explained. “He and my sister-in-law tried for ages to have a kid…then Melanie happened. I was made godfather…Ben and I were always really close. Ten months ago, just before…M, you know. Um, anyway, ten months ago Ben had a business meeting he had to go to. He and Megan worked for the same company and both had to go…so they asked me to look after Melanie. Seven hours after they left their plane crashed, they both died.”

“Q, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright…” Q said, wiping at his eyes quickly. “Anyway, M made sure custody was transferred smoothly… Hard to give a kid to a man who doesn’t exist and has false identities and a dangerous job, but…she made it happen, made sure I got to keep her. I’ve adopted her, she’s fully mine now, but I wish…well, can’t say that, maybe it was easier they left while she couldn’t remember them. She’s my angel though, I adore her… I’d do anything for her. Technically speaking she’s genetically half-mine, because her father and I were identical twins so if anyone came snooping I could prove she’s mine, not enough mutations in my genetic make-up from Ben to make anyone dig too deep into the matter.” James didn’t know what to say.

“You’re a good father.” There was a chance after all. James’ heart leapt up into his throat.

“Thank you…just trying not to repeat my father’s mistakes. Hated putting her in danger today, MI6 is not safe…but I suppose baby sitters can’t be around all the time.” Q chuckled, looking down at his mug. James had heard about Q’s father, in passing from Q… From what James knew about the man, he’d be an abusive drunk who had nearly gotten Q killed more than once with his actions.

“You won’t be like your father.”

“I don’t want to be.” Q nodded.

“You won’t be him…you’re positively sweet with her.”

“Thank you, James…” Q sighed. “Don’t know what the hell I’m going to do when she gets older. She’ll want her hair done and boys and I won’t know how to do the first and probably kill the boys she likes… Don’t know how that will work. Maybe if Jen sticks around Ellie can learn from her…or I’ll have Eve teach her…”

“Eve? Knives in the stiletto Eve? Shot me in the shoulder Eve?” James asked.

“Now that you put it that way Eve is definitely the best choice for the job.” Q smirked.

“Stop it.” James teased, rolling his eyes.

“Well, Eve’s already made herself an unofficial aunt, so that’s something.” Q grinned.

“And I’ll kill any boy that touches her for you.” James promised. “A license to kill should never go wasted.”

“I’ll take you up on that… I’m not the trigger-pulling type, it's not...but I would do it for her though...”

“So first steps today?”

“Yeah, I’m so proud of her. She’s always been a bit stellar.”

“I can tell, she was talking pretty intelligently…well, talking the way she does.”

“She babbles but the babbles usually make sense. I’ve learned to interpret most of the things she says now. She is very clever, especially for her age.”

“She loves her Ti.” James smiled.

“Oh, yes she does. She cries when the thing is too far away for too long. The stuffed animal must be sacred in at least two continents now. She treats it like it’s a rarity… Sort of how I feel when you return your equipment. I can’t help but think that you want something. You don’t usually bring those things back even on simple missions. You like arguing with me—I’m sure of it.” Q looked at him with eyes that made James feel like he was being x-rayed.

“You’re right.”

“Need a new car?” Q smirked, standing up to take care of his mug. James got up and followed him, leaning against the breakfast nook.

“Actually I was going to ask you to dinner…but then I had this whole mix-up, thinking you were married with a beautiful daughter…” Q froze before he turned around.

“Dinner?”

“Yes, dinner. It’s the French word for the evening meal.”

“Well— Wait, you’ve seen A Series of Unfortunate Events?” Q asked with a disbelieving face.

“I fly a lot. I actually enjoyed that movie as well.”

“Of course you would… Like dinner as in—?”

“As in a date, Q.”

“Oh…”

“You seemed surprised.”

“Not exactly desirable next to someone like y—” James interrupted him by placing a gentle kiss to Q’s lips. Gentle and sweet.

“You don’t realize how absolutely brilliant you are, do you?”

“Shouldn’t you ask me out before you kiss me?” Q asked with a small smile.

“Would you say yes?”

“Maybe, if you asked nicely.”

“Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

“I’d have to check with the baby sitter.”

“Mels can come.” James promised.

“Then, yes.” Q smiled, moving forward and kissing James again, slowly, just a brush of lips, of warmth. “Been wanting to do that for months…”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Why didn’t you?” Q retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“Afraid.”

“Yes, well I was sure you were absolutely straight.”

“You can’t be an agent if you don’t have at least a bit of attraction in every direction.”

“Valid point… Why in the hell would you be afraid of me?”

“You’re scary…and you could have said no.”

“Who could say no to you, James?”

“You could…couldn’t risk it.”

“And if I had been married?”

“I would have left you alone…but if you ever needed the proverbial mistress…I would have been free.” James stated. Q chuckled and pressed one more kiss against James’ lips. “Can I stay?”

“I’m not the type to put out so quickly, James Bond.”

“I wasn’t intending to threaten your virtue, Q.” James smiled. “I’m not quite so manipulative as the agent in me would suggest.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because then I might be tempted to sleep with you and you haven’t even taken me out on a date yet.”

“Fair point.” James smiled, stroking his face gently. “Get some rest, Q...and thank you for the tea.”

“Goodnight, James.” Q smiled, leading him to the door.

It wasn’t until Q was half asleep that he realized something and sat up in his bed with wide eyes. “ _Why in the hell would you be afraid of me?”_

_“You’re scary…and you could have said no.”_

James was afraid that Q would have said no to him. Q knew him well enough to know that James Bond wasn’t afraid of anything except for his own heart. Only possible conclusion to be drawn: James was in love with Q. “Fuck me…” Q didn’t know how he had earned a spot in the man’s heart, but he promised himself he’d do everything he could to protect that heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	5. He’s Got a Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy Chapter. :D

He’s Got a Date

 

Q knocked on the door next to his, holding Melanie on his hip. “I’ve got it mum!” A young warm voice called within. Q could hear singing, something in Swahili as the door opened. “Hello Mr. Shaw. What can I do for you? Hi, there baby girl.” She smiled gently. Melanie looked at Jen sleepily and smiled before snuggling closer to Q.

“How was the competition?”

“Oh, we won, landslide, top marks. Only group to get a perfect score.” She grinned. Q hugged her, one armed, and smiled.

“Amazing. You had a solo didn’t you?”

“Three, but who’s counting?” She chuckled, pushing her brown hair back out of her eyes. Melanie wrinkled her nose—she was a morning person, but come mid-morning she got sleepy and liked to nap a bit. “Sorry, I’m still a bit drugged with adrenaline or whatever it is that makes me so jittery, I always am after performances.” She lowered her voice a bit. “Sorry I wasn’t there for Melanie yesterday. Did you both manage alright?” She asked gently stroking Melanie’s arm.

“We were fine, my boss let me bring her in.”

“Do you need me to watch her today? I can if you want me to.” Jen grinned. Q always worried that Jen didn’t get enough time for herself, that she spent too much time with an infant and not enough time with other people her age. She didn’t go to school, her mother homeschooled her; she didn’t play in any sports, she didn’t like them. All she did have with other people her age was her weekends with a group of singers in one of the schools in London, nothing else. However, Jen seemed a bit anti-social, not in that she couldn’t be social, she just couldn’t be social with people her age. She was raised mature, so mature that people her age bothered her and the majority of her friends were twenty years older than her…or an eleven month old baby—because she had an extraordinarily powerful maternal instinct.

“Sort of…if you have the time.”

“I always have time for that sweet little girl.”

“Oh! You know she took her first steps yesterday.”

“DID SHE?” Jen squealed, Melanie let out a whine of discontentment, but Jen pressed a kiss to her head to soothe her, lowering her voice again. “I am going to bring her something nice. Like those cereals she likes for snack.”

“You are going to spoil her rotten.”

“You know she deserves it. She’s a little princess.” Jen grinned.

“True…” Q sighed. “I was actually wondering if you’d mind watching her tonight, around six-thirty? There’s some food in the flat and everything—”

“Mr. Shaw…do you have a date?” Jen asked with a smile. Q blushed.

“Yes, well, I do.”

“Oh. My. God.”

“Jennifer don’t you dare—”

“Mother, it was worth it. Mr. Shaw has a date.”

“Oh my God.” Jen’s mother walked up and looked at Q with wide eyes. She was a middle-aged woman who Jen obviously didn’t take after, except for the green eyes. She was very Christian—though not in the judging way—and a nurse at a hospital. She worked nights and—even though Q lived next door—she didn’t like Jen out of the flat after six (not that Jen was the type to go out). She was very protective of her only child, but trusted Q well enough. She didn’t like having Melanie staying at their flat, though, because it wasn’t child proofed and had the faint scent of cigarettes—they did have a crib for nights when Q couldn’t come home though. Q could appreciate that she didn’t want Melanie around that smell. “Really?”

“Yeah…um… I know you don’t much like Jen at my flat after six, but I would really appreciate it tonight. Just a few hours I think.”

“Is she cute?”

“Mum…it’s a guy, Mr. Shaw’s not the type to like woman, Mum.” That seemed to throw the older woman off for a moment. “Is he handsome?” Jen asked with a smile.

“Gorgeous and Ellie likes him…so…that’s good.”

“He’s met my Melanie?” Jen asked with a grin.

“Yeah, he works with me so…yeah.”

“So sweet. Is he coming by at seven?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there at six, give you some time to get around, hard to tame your hair in just a half an hour…besides that will make sure you don’t have to feed her and get anything on your clothes. Got to look nice for your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my—it’s just a date, Jen, we’ll work it out from there, alright?”

“Sure, sure.” Jen grinned. “Should I get ready to babysit more often on weekends?”

“Jen…” Q sighed in warning.

“Okay, I’m done. But I am happy for you. You haven’t dated anyone since I was…really little.”

“I’ve never seen him—”

“Mom he leaves the house in cardigans and then suddenly he was wearing a suit, obviously a date. She never pays enough attention to detail I swear.” Jen chuckled. “I’ll be there alright? And I’ll bring sweetie pie something sweet.” Jen grinned.

“Thank you, my dear.”

“Mm-hm.” Jen grinned before stepping back into her flat and closing the door. Q walked back to his flat and closed the door behind him, holding Melanie in his arms as he sat on the sofa. She napped for a little while in his arms and, as usual woke up squirming. “Want to play?” Q asked with a fond smile, sitting on the ground and moving to go get the blocks she had in her toy box. He sat down next to her and put them on the floor. She smiled and picked one up. She always reached for the red ones first.

“Do you like the red blocks?” Q asked as she fit another red block in her hand.

“Reh-reh.”

“Yes, red blocks, that’s the color you like. Maybe someday I’ll get a new house and you can have a room all to yourself and I’ll paint the walls red for you. I would, you know… Maybe not that bright of red though…” Melanie grabbed a blue block next stacking them up. “Or blue… I could paint your room blue, or purple. A lilac color, you’d like that, I’m sure of it, plus it’s a calming color.”

“Reh.” Melanie said absently reaching for a green block to put on her small stack of blocks, trying to mimic the tower her father was building.

“That one’s green, angel. _This_ one is red.”

“Ge.”

“That’s right baby. What color is this one?” Q asked, pointing to a yellow block. “Do you remember this color?”

“Yo.”

“That’s right, yellow, good job.” He smiled and kissed her cheek. They built things together and Melanie managed to stack up an impressive tower, before accidently knocking it over. “Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oooh.” Melanie agreed in a little gasp before she started to try to stack the blocks again. “Baban.”

“What honey?”

“Na nana baban.”

“Do you want a banana?”

“Baban.”

“Try banana.” He pronounced it slowly, happy she was having one of her more vocal days, usually she was quiet and muttered to herself. It always made him smile to be able to talk to her and teach her things.

“Bana.”

“Banana.”

“Bana.”

“An honorable attempt, Ellie.” He grinned before he got up and got a bowl, chopping up little bits of bananas for her. She only ate little bits at a time, but she was obviously happy, even with smashed bananas on her fingers. “What color is this one, sweetie?”

“Bu.”

“Very good, Ellie.” Q smiled warmly. She was really smart, for an infant, but she was quiet about it, usually not saying much unless she was prodded and poked. Of course, she did her babbling like everyone else, but she was as smart as a whip.

800Q8

Q managed to get laundry done, dishes done, and make it through a Disney movie, got Melanie to walk a bit more on her own (always within catching distance), and read a book while Melanie played with Ti after lunch. Melanie yawned at the start of the second story and Q smiled, picking her up and laying her down against his chest, she gripped Ti with one hand and grabbed his shirt with the other, snuggling close. He moved the book slightly so that she could look at the pictures as he read it to her. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as she snuggled close and settled in for a nap before the book was half-over.

The weekends were always full of playing and that meant eventual cuddling and napping on the couch when Melanie got tired. Q loved every minute of it and silently thanked M for giving him the weekends off to spend entirely with Melanie. Q smiled and gently slipped his phone out of his pocket, snapping a picture of her sleeping so peacefully. Jen had offered to help him put together a baby book for Melanie, as long as he snapped pictures and wrote down stories. Q had even designed a page that could play the videos he managed to catch of her. He’d been lucky she’d taken her first steps in his office. He had already saved that video for later.

Q grinned down at her and kissed the top of her head turning on the music on his phone, quietly, just enough to be background noise. Always classical around Melanie. Old and new, it was always classical and calming.

800Q8

“Where’s my sweet Melanie?” Jen called as she stepped into the flat. Melanie turned and looked at Jen, smiling and pointing at her.

“Je!”

“Hello, sweetie.” Jen grinned. “How’s Miss Melanie today?” She wondered, sitting next to her and stacking up blocks with her. “How are you doing?” Melanie simply giggled at the warm, happy tone. Q didn’t know who was more enamored, Jen or Melanie. “I’m watching out for her, Mr. Shaw, go get around for that date of yours.” Jen winked at him and Q smiled back.

“Thank you, Jen.”

“No problem. You realize one day I might kidnap her right?”

“I dare you to try.”

“I probably wouldn’t get far…you’re right.” Jen sighed. “I mean it, go get cleaned up, shower, shave, best clothes, but not a suit…go for the white turtleneck you have…maybe some nice trousers, but don’t tame your hair completely, it looks better a little messy.”

“Thank you, Jen.” Q rolled his eyes.

“Don’t mention it, my friend.” Jen grinned. Q sighed heavily and left the room, taking a shower and trying to become semi-presentable. He didn’t even know how Jen knew about the turtleneck he owned, he’d only worn it once…but then again, she was a very perceptive person. He got dressed and attempted to calm his hair down a bit, before it dried and became an utter mess. He walked into the living room, searching for his shoes when he heard Jen sigh heavily.

“What did I do this time?” Q asked.

“Come here.” Jen sighed, standing up. Q sighed and stepped up to her. “You put something in your hair, yes?”

“Only a little—”

“Good, now trust me.” She smiled before running her hands through it, musing it.

“Jen!”

“Look at me. You haven’t been out in a while, I get that, but trust me, you’re going to look sexy.”

“If it weren’t you, Jen, this would be awkward.”

“Oh, but you know how I love awkward conversations. Besides, you’re gay and I like a tenor in my choir.” She winked. “He’s blonde.”

“Lovely. Is he nice?”

“Just about as shy and awkward as I am in a room full of people our age. It’s refreshing. He’s…not a child, unlike he rest of the population that’s my age, but he’d not old either, you know, like the people I get along with. It’s nice to meet an old soul every once in a while.”

“I’m sure he likes you. You’re amazing, Jen.”

“I know, I’m just not people’s usual cup of tea.” Jen grinned. “Let me look at you… Melanie? What do you think of your daddy?”

“Dada.”

“Me too, I think he looks amazing. All my idea, credit goes to me. You should put on some cologne though…just to add a bit of spice to it.”

“Are you my fashion expert now?”

“Listen, every girl needs a go-to-gay and every gay needs a girl to make sure they look stunning. Now go finish up, it’s almost seven and make sure you wear you’re grey coat, it’s going to be a bit chilly out.”

“Thank you, Jen.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Shaw.” Jen smiled before sitting on the floor next to Melanie, playing with her and the stuffed animals around her, making different noises, teaching as they played. Jen heard a knock on the door and she got up, taking Melanie with her, who was always content with being carried—as long as she liked the person carrying her. Jen looked at the pad next to the door and saw a green light on the pad. She opened the door and her eyes widened. A beautiful man in dress slacks and a grey-blue sweater with a black button up underneath it was at the door. Jen couldn’t help but look him up and down quickly. He neighbor was one lucky man. “You’re here for Mr. Shaw aren’t you?”

“Yes I am, and who might you be?” Melanie looked at him as soon as he spoke and smiled noticing the familiar face.

“Oh, I’m Jen, Mr. Shaw’s babysitter…well, really my plot is to steal Melanie when he gets comfortable with me, but he’s already on to my nefarious plot.” Jen chuckled. “Oh and, between you and me, be good to him or I won’t be so kind. He’s a good friend of mine.”

“I’ll be good.” James said, amused that the young woman was honestly threatening him. If only she knew.

“Good for you.” Jen smiled. “Come in. He’ll be out in a moment.” James stepped in and closed the door and gently stroked Melanie’s cheek.

“Hello, princess.” Melanie waved a little bit in response.

“Lo.”

“You get cleverer by the day don’t you?”

“By the moment. I’m waiting for her to start spewing whole mathematical equations at me.” Jen chuckled. Q stepped out of his room and James looked him up and down appreciatively.

“You look lovely, Q.”

“Thank you.” Q blushed slightly, noting the smirk from Jen. “Um, Jen, she’s had her bath, been changed, dinner’s made for both of you, second shelf down, unless you want to order in, there’s money on the counter if you do. No late snacks for Ellie, you know what that does to her.”

“I know…but she’s so cute when she’s playful.” Jen teased.

“I know, but even I get tired at some point. Umm…there was something else I was going to tell you…can’t think of what it was. I’ll text you if I remember. If anything goes awry—”

“Panic room with Melanie, seal it, load the gun, stay silent, wait for you; you’re coming for us. I’ve got it.” Jen promised. “Anything I should know about?”

“Should be fine… Just…you know how I worry.”

“Yeah, I do… Go on, have fun, okay?”

“Thank you, Jen you’re a life saver.”

“I know, now go, don’t keep your date waiting.” James smiled, amused at the conversation.

“Alright…” Q chuckled, walking forward and grabbing Melanie. “I going to go bye-bye for a little bit, okay? I’ll be back. Kisses?” Melanie instantly planted an open-mouthed kiss to Q’s cheek and Q kissed hers. “Love you, Ellie. Be good for Jen…alright?” He smiled before handing her back over and heading towards James who held out his hand. Q smiled and took it before they headed out of the flat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Q:  
> http://us.cdn291.fansshare.com/pictures/benwhishaw/ben-whishaw-mark-bradshaw-1765069423.jpg  
> James:  
> http://us.cdn281.fansshare.com/photos/danielcraig/daniel-craig-1461196775.jpg  
> Much Love.


	6. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some cuteness ahead... :)  
> A mention of an eating disorder...more on that later though...

Dinner

 

James knew very quickly that Q was nervous. He didn’t talk much and the snarky comments were non-existent for the whole drive. “Q, are you alright?”

“Hmm? I’m fine.”

“You seem a bit nervous.”

 _Fucking secret agent know-it-alls…_ Q thought. “Just…haven’t been out in a while. Bit out of practice.”

“How out of practice?”

“Don’t laugh?”

“I won’t.” James promised.

“I was twenty two.”

“Ten years?” James asked.

“Yeah, wait—have you been snooping through my file?”

“Not much to snoop for, just a date of birth, physical characteristics, and the year you were hired. Do you really weigh ten stone?”

“What? Think I’d be heavier?”

“No, lighter, actually, you look like nothing but skin and bones.”

“I do have some muscle to me, you know. I’m not completely useless.” Q chuckled.

“What on earth did you weigh before you got this job?”

“Sadly…seven and a half.” James didn’t know what to say. “I wasn’t the healthiest kid, I had some issues… I’ve gotten better though.” Q shrugged. “That’s all you found in my file then, that’s lovely.”

“I’m not going to ever admit that you’re taller. I think they lied and counted your hair.”

“I just think you can’t stand the idea that you have to look up to me.” Q smirked. James smiled, there was Q, he was back and relaxed in an instant.

“I do not have to look up to you.”*

“You do too, if only a little bit. It can’t do much for your pride. You know, 006 is taller than you as well…in case you wondered.”

“And I’m still the better agent.”

“Says you, he actually brings back equipment…a little more often than you do anyway.”

“But I’m still your favorite.”

“Actually 002 is my favorite. He brings everything back in pristine order and brings me chocolates and tea sometimes.” James didn’t like that. He knew he couldn’t have been the only person to notice the beauty of Q and all of the wonderful traits that made him just as handsome on the inside…but he didn’t like that someone else was acting on it. Q, obviously, noticed.

“He’s straight, James, and very much married in case you’ve forgotten. Some people are simply nice to their Quartermaster who happens to save their arses all the time.”

“I’m nice.”

“You don’t bring me presents though.” Q teased with a chuckle. James had brought home little things for Q before, though admittedly not nearly as often as 002.

“Sometimes I do.”

“Work on bringing home equipment then. That might make me like you more.”

“Just tell me I have Alec beat.”

“You’re missions are far more entertaining to monitor than anyone else’s I have to admit. So you can beat Alec, I suppose.”

“Good.” James smiled as he came to a stop outside of a restaurant that made Q feel a little underdressed, but then again he always felt that way, especially around James, James could wear anything and look classy. He always seemed to look like a little kid in his fath—some adult’s clothes. “Q, you look perfect, come on.”

“How do you always know?”

“I read people for a living, Q.” James smiled.

Q realized at some point—as he sat down across from James in the back corner of the restaurant where he could see absolutely everything (the fact that James trusted him to watch his back was not lost on Q)—he would have to come up with some sort of conversation. What could he possibly talk about? He had work and Ellie…that was really it, and James had already met Ellie…and he shared the same job. Thinking of Melanie made him glance down at his phone, no texts from Jen, everything was alright.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Work and Ellie. Basically everything.” Q sighed. Was his life really that boring, that he wouldn’t have much to talk about with James…just work and Melanie?

“I know the feeling… Only I’d say work and getting ready for work…or sitting in a hospital room waiting for the door to be left unlocked.” James chuckled.

“Yes, well if you did better work you wouldn’t have to worry about the second part now would you?” Q wondered with a smile.

“You know, I actually just remembered something… The last time I ended up in medical, were you the one who—?”

“Yes.” Q blushed and looked down. He’d managed to program the electronics in James’ room to play some of his favorite songs.

“Mind explaining?”

“I thought you might get bored.” Q shrugged.

“And?” James asked, leaning forward, a slight smirk on his face.

“Turns out I’m not quite as immune to your charms as I had hoped.” Q added, taking a small sip of his drink.

“I was afraid they hadn’t been working. I was under the impression we were going to be in in that awkward friendship with one person who wanted a bit more for ages.”

“That would be friendzone you just described.” Q chuckled. “Though I don’t suppose you’d know that term, you’re not usually there, I’d bet.”

“That’s a good name for it. I have been there with you, and to be quite honest that makes it a one fourth of all of my relationships.”

“Sorry? I’m sorry, but I have a doctorate in mathematics and two different sciences and I have no clue where you got that result from.” Q stated, he knew James’ file. The math was very askew.

“Work doesn’t count, Q, never has. It’s just a job, another tool I have to use in the field.” James shrugged. Q couldn’t help but smile slightly, pleased. “You’re baby sitter is a character.”

“Jen? Yes, she is. She’s lovely.”

“I think she threatened to kill me if I hurt you?”

“That would be Jen… Don’t underestimate her either… She’s rather brilliant. I’d be surprised if she didn’t turn out an evil genius one day.”

“You think she could take me?”

“I think she could blend in, disappear, follow you, find where you live, what you like to drink, and poison you without you ever knowing she was there. You’d never see her coming. She’s clever and a lot older than she seems.” Q chuckled.

“Suppose I’ll have to be good to you then.”

“I suppose so.” Q grinned.

“Though she’d have to get past your security in my flat first…”

“If you made her mad enough for her to want to kill you, she’d find a way. She’s clever, not some idiot assassin. Part of the reason why I love her so much. I want to hire her as soon as I can… She’s not a science person, but she’s good with maths and strategy. She’d make a great R one day. She’s not pure logic, she’s got a creative streak a mile wide and she’d be able to get people out of some tough situations.”

“I really rather think I should talk to her more.”

“You’d like her. She’s pretty quiet with a lot of people around, but if you get her on her own she’ll talk and sometimes blow your mind with what she comes up with in that head of hers. I’d adopt her if I thought her mother wouldn’t kill me for it.”

“She knows about Six?”

“No, well, probably. Again, she’s clever. I haven’t told her anything except that I work for the government and my job is dangerous. She’s learned to just listen to me if I tell her it’s best to stay locked up inside. When she was younger and I babysat her once, she was convinced I was some sort of anti-hero working against the British government. It was quite funny, actually.”

“I could see that actually.”

“No…too damn loyal for my own good.” Q sighed. “This country couldn’t do without me anyway…couldn’t just up and leave it.”

“Good to hear.” James smiled.

It was, surprisingly, simple to talk to James. Q well knew that he wasn’t the most socially apt person, nor the most interesting, but he actually managed to hold a conversation with the man, which was good, in his book.

800Q8

When they made it back to Q’s flat it was nine and James debated on whether to kiss Q at the door or wait and see if he’d be asked in, knowing Q he’d be asked in for tea. Q got the door open and Jen stepped around the corner, smiling at Q. “Hello, Mr. Shaw.” She smiled gently. “Ellie went to sleep about a half an hour ago.”

“Thank you, Jen. Was dinner alright?”

“It was perfect, thanks.” Jen grinned and glanced at the place where James and Q’s hands were joined. “See you Monday?”

“Yes, barring any emergencies, thank you, Jen.” Q smiled warmly.

“Have a good night, Mr. Shaw.” She winked and left his flat.

“Dear God, that girl.” Q shook his head and closed the door behind her. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, please.” James smiled, setting himself down on the sofa as Q put the kettle on. Q breezed through the kitchen and entered a room down the hall, a room James knew housed Melanie. James heard soft music start and heard Q pressing a gentle kiss to Melanie before he came back out, leaving the door open a slight bit as he left.

“If you want to watch something you can, I have Netflix…”

“What would you like to watch?”

“Don’t care. I haven’t watched much, but Disney movies for the past year so…really anything is fine.” Q smiled shyly before he returned to the kitchen and set about getting the mugs around.

“Alright.” James smiled, sitting on the sofa and slipping off his shoes, noting Q’s were off and in the hallway. James glanced at the movies on the shelf below the TV, ignoring the children movies to get an idea of something that Q might like, but didn’t own. He smiled, of course Q was the type who liked to think when he watched movies. “Ever seen Memento?”

“Nope,” Q answered as he put together to mugs of tea.

“Good.” James smiled. Q made his way to the living room and handed James a mug.

“Thank you.” James smiled wider.

“You’re welcome.” Q said shyly before he sat down, a little too much space between them. James solved it by wrapping an arm around Q’s shoulders. “Not one for subtlety are you.”

“Nope…” James grinned. “I figure you’ve got enough subtlety for both of us.”

“Good point.” Q nodded and leaned against James’ side. He was shy around James, and nervous that he would screw something up, especially with his revelation… James cared about him, possibly even loved him… It was a bit…tense, knowing that someone who didn’t open up often, who didn’t allow themselves to feel much, cared. Q didn’t want to mess that up.

“Stop thinking.” James teased and pulled Q a little closer. Q looked at the TV, leaning against James’ chest contentedly. He was warm and smelt absolutely amazing. Q closed his eyes to take everything in for the briefest moment before he opened his eyes and tried to watch the movie.

800Q8

It was a gradual shift, but they ended up laying on the sofa, James spooning Q, holding him close to his chest, his hands intertwined with Q’s. That was how Q fell asleep three quarters of the way through the movie, warm and surrounded by James, content. James smiled gently and buried his face against Q’s neck, allowing himself to nap, never quite sleeping, but resting, eyes closed, perfectly relaxed…happy.

James let Q sleep through the end credits before he sighed. Q would hurt his neck if he slept on the sofa like that all night. “Q? Q, sweetheart?” James asked, nuzzling against the back of Q’s neck.

“Mm?” Q asked sleepily, burying himself further into the couch, into James.

“You have to get up, I don’t want you to be sore tomorrow. Come on, love.” James smiled gently.

“Comfy.” Q protested.

“Not forever, come on.” James smiled helping the sleepy man up. There was something very endearing about the lines from the sofa on his face and his hair that stuck up on one side. James couldn’t help but smile as he led the half-sleeping man to his room. Again James thought the home was too small. Outside of the kitchen and living room there were only three rooms and Q’s bedroom was small, borderline tiny. Surely Q could afford more, why hadn’t he gotten something bigger? James sat Q down on the bed and managed to slip off his glasses and turtleneck before pulling up the black covers and laying him down underneath them gently. “Goodnight, Q.” James smiled, leaning down to kiss his soft curls before pulling away, but Q grabbed his arm.

“Stay…?”

“You sure?” James wondered, more than happy to crawl in after the man and cuddle.

“Mm-hmm…” Q sighed, tired, sleepy.

“Alright.” James said, simply slipping out of his sweater and button-down—and his socks, he couldn’t stand sleeping in them. He slid under the covers and instantly Q latched onto him, resting his head against James’ chest and resting one hand over James’ heart, the other stroking the top of James’ head gently, tired little circles. James smiled and wrapped his arms around Q, running one hand through Q’s hair.

“Mmm…” Q practically purred in delight at the simple touch, nuzzling closer. James made a mental note to run his fingers through Q’s hair as often as he could. He was so responsive, every little shift in James’ body earned a response, even when Q was half asleep. The poor man must have been starved for affection, to have nothing for ten years. James would have to amend that. Give Q enough affection to make him fall apart.

“Goodnight, Q.” James whispered, kissing the top of Q’s curls.

“’Night, James…” Q whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to James’ chest before snuggling closer and falling asleep. Q didn’t snore…but his lips did part ever so slightly and he muttered occasionally, little unintelligible things. It didn’t bother James…he’d never felt better, safer, or warmer in his entire life. He smiled and kissed Q’s head one last time before he allowed himself to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Because I can, Q is an inch taller than James in this universe, just to irritate James.  
> Much Love.


	7. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's so much good in this chapter...and then...I'm a terrible person.

Breakfast

 

James woke up first. In their sleep they’d gotten tangled up, James half-laying over Q’s back, protectively. James got up slowly and saw something he hadn’t seen in the night. Q had a scar on his back, old and painful-looking, but mostly faded over his shoulder blades. He frowned—telling himself not to bring it up, knowing Q would talk when he could—kissing Q’s forehead before he left the room, making sure Q was wrapped up in the warm blankets. He left the room, not closing the door when he heard a small sound. He opened the door across the hall from Q’s room and frowned. The room had obviously been Q’s office at one point, but the desk was pushed back into a corner to make enough room for a changing table, crib, and toy chest. Q really needed a bigger home… A small cramped place could only do so much for him and Melanie. James made a mental note to search for bigger places for Q.

“What are you doing up this early, princess?” James wondered when he saw Melanie standing in her crib, holding onto the bars, dressed in a purple onesie that had pink flowers on it. She smiled sleepily up at him and promptly began to try to climb over the railing. “No, no, no…” James said, instantly picking her up and pulling her close. It really would have been bad if she’d fallen. He held her and bit his lip, what did people do after first dates? Was holding their potential partner’s child even acceptable? Either way, he couldn’t put her in her crib again, she’d climb out. “Breakfast then, Mels?” James asked sweetly, carrying her to the kitchen, realizing that Q had cleverly added on to one of the chairs at the breakfast nook so that it was a high-chair. James put her down and buckled her in, she was strangely content in her seat.

“Dada?”

“Daddy’s sleeping, I’m going to make breakfast… What do you normally have for breakfast, Mels?” James wondered. Q and Jen talked to Melanie like she was an adult, James wasn’t going to change the trend, she was a rather intelligent kid.

“Chi.”

“Chi? What’s chi, angel?”

“Bana chi… Bana chi?” James knew she knew what she was talking about, obvious by the look on her face, so much like the petulant frown Q got when he said something brilliant and everyone in the room was too dim to understand him, but James didn’t know what she meant. “No bana chi?” She pouted at that thought. Then James saw it on the counter, a yellow box with bananas on it. Banana Nut Cheerios. Bana Chee. God the little girl was brilliant.

“Found it, darling.” James smiled, finding a plastic bowl after only a few tries. Q’s kitchen was very orderly and neat, which made James feel very happy…being a Commander meant he had a bit of a thing for order. He wasn’t quite sure if she took milk with her cereal, but when she reached out and ate a ring with her little fingers he took it that she liked her Cheerios just the way they were. James smiled and stroked her cheek gently. “You’re precious.” James smiled before he started making breakfast for himself and Q.

Melanie simply sat, eating her Cheerios and watching James, as if studying him. She was very content compared to most children James had been around. Just a quiet, sweet, observant little angel. “You alright in here for a moment, Mels?” James wondered gently. As if answering she simply picked up another little O and nibbled on it. “I’ll take that as a yes.” James smiled. He made his way back to Q’s room and leaned over the bed, pressing a gentle kiss to Q’s forehead.

“Mm…”

“Wake up, Q...” James whispered. Q remained asleep in an act of defiance, James was sure of it. “If you don’t get up I’ll be forced to use drastic measures, Q.” James teased. Q stirred slightly, but remained asleep. The poor man must be exhausted. Would it be cruel to tickle him awake? He’d look adorable giggling and twisting in the bed… Not yet… “Shall I start guessing your name? That always annoys you. Alex? Braxton? Carter? Devin? Edmond? Geoffrey? Henry? Ishmael? Jack? Kal? Lionel? Mark? Nathaniel? Opal? Preston?”

“Opal?” Q demanded in a tired voice. “That the best you can come up with?”

“You try coming up with names in alphabetical order off of the top of your head.”

“I can surely come up with a better name than Opal, for Christ’s sake…” Q muttered before opening his eyes. They widened slightly. “You…? You stayed?”

“Who did you think you were talking to?” James asked with a chuckle.

“Well…I thought I was dreaming…”

“And do you dream about me often, Quartermaster?” James smirked.

“More often than I’ll ever admit.” Q smiled. James grinned and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “What time is it?”

“Eight-ish.”

“Eight? God, Ellie… She gets up at half-six.”

“Slow down, honey… She’s alright, eating breakfast as we speak.” James smiled. “I made you some as well.”

“Did you?”

“Yes, don’t sound so surprised, Q. You wound me.” James chuckled, pressing one more kiss to Q’s cheek. He left the room, leaving Q to stare after him, confused. He shook his head and smiled, pulling on his glasses and a t-shirt before following James out into the front room.

“Da!” Melanie smiled as soon as she caught sight of him.

“Good morning, Ellie.” Q grinned, running his fingers through her mused hair. “I really am sorry about that, sweetie. It’s a family curse.”

“What are you talking about?” James wondered.

“Oh, it’s just her hair. It’s already getting messy and wavy and…well, it’s a family thing. Mum…had the same wavy hair and Ben and I had it…now poor Ellie has to deal with it.” He sighed, kissing the top of her head. “I should get mine cut short again now that I think of it. It’s getting a bit out of control.”

“Not too short. It would be a crisis if you cut it too short.”

“Am I supposed to think you actually don’t think it’s deplorable for it to be such a mess?”

“I think it’s gorgeous.”

“You would. You don’t have to tame it every day.” Q frowned, running his hands through the messy hair on his head.

“You don’t either.”

“Could you imagine what people would think if I showed up to work like this?”

“I could think of one or two things that may cross their mind.” James smirked as he put a plate of food in front of Q.

“James…” Q warned with a look. James’ smirk only grew and he winked at Q. “You’re nothing but trouble.”

“Trouble’s my middle name.”

“You’re middle name is—”

“Don’t you dare say it.” James glared.

“Touchy?” Q smiled, only slightly smug.

“Quit snooping in my file.”

“It’s my job to know these things.”

“My middle name?” James questioned, sitting down next to Q.

“May come in handy someday.” Q shrugged.

“Mmhm.” James hummed sarcastically.

“You never know.” Q smiled, taking a bite of the food on his plate. “Thank you, James.”

“My pleasure. Besides, you need some meat on your bones.”

“You won’t manage it… I can’t gain weight…it’s…pretty much impossible. When I had…well…when I needed to gain weight it took almost more effort than it was worth to manage it.” Q sighed. James knew there was some sort of a story behind the words, but he wouldn’t pressure Q into talking about it. “Only reason I weigh as much as I do is that I forced myself to be able to pass the double-o standards…it required me to gain at least a little muscle.”

“You trained to be able to pass our tests?”

“Yes, have to know a baseline to effectively help my agents. If I know the lowest boundaries—because I barely passed the tests—I can extrapolate what everyone is capable of more efficiently and better help them in the field.”

“You took the bloody tests?”

“Language…” Q warned, looking at Melanie, who wasn’t paying attention. “Yes…beat everyone in the firing range…was terrible in psych—”

“Everyone is.” James grinned.

“Don’t I know it? I only barely scrapped by in everything else…”

“Learn something new every day.” James smiled at Q. He had never known that Q had done that, that he had pushed himself that hard just so that he could help his agents a little bit more. James had known Q was extraordinary but…even James was a bit shocked. All of that with an infant to raise. James was even more astonished at how quickly Q managed to eat, without seeming ravenous. He got up and pulled Melanie up out of her chair.

“Ap,” Melanie complained mildly, whining slightly.

“Oh dear lord. Is she talking about apps already?”

“No, she’s not.” Q chuckled. “No, sweetheart, not this morning. We’re going to get changed and pretty and then you can have juice. Okay?”

“Ap.”

“Nope, I’m not going to spoil you, young lady, no matter how adorable you are. Can’t have everything you want when you ask for it.” Q smiled, kissing her cheek. “I’ll be back in a moment.” Q promised before he carried her off. James thought for a minute as he finished eating.

 _Apple juice._ That was what Melanie had wanted. That was probably her favorite drink at breakfast or just her favorite in general. James smiled, he was getting better at understanding her own private language. True to his word, a moment later Q came back to the living room, setting a newly changed Melanie on the floor, handing her Ti before heading for the fridge. “Apple juice?”

“Sh! Don’t say it too loudly. She’ll catch on.” Q warned. “She loves it. I’m trying to get her to eat other things… Don’t want her to be too picky growing up. You start talking about it and she’ll know.”

“Sort of like your obsession with tea?”

“Shush, Bond.” Q chuckled as he worked in the kitchen, pausing only briefly to press a kiss to James’ lips. “Thank you…for everything. For staying… I suppose I didn’t realize how much I needed…anyway… Thank you.”

“Everyone needs someone to hold them every once in a while.”

“I suppose.” Q smiled. “Do you have…?”

“What, Q?”

“Nothing, never mind.” Q said, shifting awkwardly.

“Q?”

“You can stay here…um…if you want.”

“I’ve got nowhere else I want or need to be.”

800Q8

They ended up sitting on the floor with Melanie, who had the most fun of her life walking back and forth between them. She took a few steps towards Q, gasped as she tipped slightly, but caught herself—Q noticed that James’ hands had twitched closer to her when she gasped, ever protective—and continued into Q’s waiting arms, snuggling into his chest. “Good job, Ellie.” Q grinned and kissed the top of her head before blowing a raspberry against her neck, making her squeal with laughter.

James smiled at the sight. He’d loved Q for a while, absolutely and completely in love with the man, but he could feel Melanie pulling at his heartstrings too, sweet and beautiful, and so much like her father—Q that is—in that her happiness seemed to light up rooms faster than anyone else could. She was a quiet girl, thoughtful, and aside from one time when she’d complained outwardly in mutters about shoes—apparently she hated anything on her feet—she didn’t throw any fits.

“Can you make it to James, my love?” Q asked gently, turning her around and holding her sides gently.

“Hello, Mels.” James smiled, his hands outstretched, just in case. She waved slightly and smiled an open mouthed smile at him before toddling out of her father’s arms and towards him, snuggling against his chest as well.

“Dear lord…if I didn’t know better I’d think she’s trying to replace me.” Q sighed, shaking his head. He got up off of the floor, knees cracking in protest.

“You’re too young for that.” James commented.

“My knees have done that since I was six, James.” Q rolled his eyes before he grabbed a movie from the shelf and put it on, quietly. It was animated, James had never seen it, but Ellie instantly looked up at it before crawling over to her father and holding her arms up. “Come up here, angel.” Q grinned, picking her up and pulling her close before sitting down on the couch with Melanie on his lap. James got up—his joints didn’t creak—and sat down next to Q.

“You don’t have to—” But James kissed the side of his head and wrapped around his shoulders. Q smiled and leaned against him, Melanie was still staring at the colors on the TV.

“ _This is the story of how I died…”_ James looked up, slightly intrigued. He hadn’t seen anything animated in a long while…escapism was better than re-watching his life story—incorrectly portrayed, he might add. Melanie was staring with rapt attention, eyes moving over the colors.

“Sorry… Sunday’s movie day.” Q shrugged. “Well, and Thursday nights, but you know…”

“It’s fine, Q.” James promised, it was better than anything he’d be doing at home…he probably wouldn’t be at home…probably training…or shooting at something. They watched the movie and James was a bit surprised that Q knew all of the songs by heart, singing them quietly to Melanie, who giggled and grinned, happy to hear her father’s voice.

“What?” Q asked after a song had ended.

“You haven’t seen this before have you?” James asked, with a little bit of satire in his voice.

“It’s her favorite.” Q shrugged. “I think it’s all the colors…or Mandy Moore, she has a nice voice… Almost like my sister-in-law’s… Maybe it reminds her of her mum…” Q sighed. James shifted ever so slightly, just enough to pull them closer, just a fraction. “I actually rather like this one…and Aladdin, but I haven’t sold her on that one yet…”

“I liked Aladdin.” James smiled.

“It’s brilliant… But she prefers Tangled and Tarzan—but I like those too, just as long as she doesn’t like Sleeping Beauty…of all the Disney movies—heck of all of the animated movies—that is the only one I simply cannot stand. It’s awful.”

“Never seen it.”

“Did you see Snow White?”

“Yes.”

“Think Snow White only about thirty times worse and more annoying.”

“Thanks for the warning.” James smiled.

“I’m surprised you have seen as many animated films as you have.” Q commented, a question in his tone.

“Mum always wanted a girl…and as I said, I fly a lot. There’s something to be said about escapism, animated films do that well. I read too, just so you know.”

“What do you like to read?”

“Mm, depends.”

“Christie?”

“Once or twice.”

“Poe?”

“Dark, usually too dark, but well-written.”

“I like Poe… Shakespeare?”

“I liked Macbeth and Hamlet…after that… Not so much.”

“Doyle?”

“Yes.”

“Um… Paolini?”

“Who?”

“Dickens?”

“Does A Christmas Carol count?”

“Yes. Austen?” Q teased.

“No.” Q laughed.

“Dickenson?”

“Yes.”

“Frost?”

“A favorite of mine.”

“Keats?”

“My favorite.”

“Really?”

“Really.” James smiled. “What do you like to read?”

“Right now I’m really into Dr. Seuss books.”

“Seriously, Q.”

“I am, he was brilliant. You’re never too old for one of them.” Q smiled. “But…I do like Poe…and Doyle…and I love Keats.”

“You would love Poe.” James smiled. Melanie squirmed until Q put her down on the floor, where she promptly crawled over to grab a stuffed animal, stroking it gently and pulling on the ears of it.

“What do you have against Poe?”

“Far too dark. I lead a dark enough life without having to add the darkness of another man’s unfortunate life.”

“Understandable…it makes my life look a little bit brighter. Well, parts of it.”

“Well—” Q was suddenly on his feet and across the room, slapping Melanie’s little hand and pulling her back, away from an outlet that she’d tried to stick her fingers into.

“No, Melanie.” It wasn’t until Q caught sight of the redness in Melanie’s face that he realized. “Oh God…” He couldn’t stop the tears that came from his eyes.

“Q?” James asked, knowing that something had just gone very wrong. Q set Melanie down and rushed out of the room, not able to allow himself to be near her. James pulled Melanie into his arms—only a few tears had escaped, but she was calm again, no longer upset—and carried her to her room, placing her in her crib. “Please don’t climb out…promise?” Melanie didn’t reply, but she did sit down and stay sat down. James left the room and went to Q’s room, finding Q crouched in a very small ball in the corner of the room, sobbing, but not in the loud way, in the silent way, in the way of a person in true pain…the tears a person simply couldn’t stop feeling sorrow and anguish. It was a true agony…some strange agony James didn’t understand. “Q…?”

“I—” Q couldn’t manage any more. James knelt down and wrapped his arms around Q, not knowing what else to do.

“What is it, Q?”

“I hit her… I hurt her…she was upset. I—”

“Q, she’s alright…she’s fine. Q, you didn’t hurt her. She’s alright, Q.”

“But I hit her I—”

“There is a difference between discipline and abuse… She could have gotten herself killed, Q… You were just trying to keep her safe…you were just—”

“But I’m just like him—”

“No, Q, never, Q.” James promised, holding Q close, letting the man cry against him. “Shh…it’s alright…” James whispered, kissing the top of Q’s head gently. There was nothing in the room but silence…until the tears slowed—not stopping—and Q spoke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sort of Melanie...can't find a perfect picture but this is as close as it gets to her now: http://g.picevo.com/1393x1180/risensources.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Cute-Baby-Girl1.jpg  
> And this is Ellie a bit older: http://bootstrapbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/cute-baby-girl-with-brown-hairpopular-brown-hair-images-from-april-3-2012-hqwowi5q.jpg  
> They're watching TANGLED!!! :D  
> Much Love.


	8. The Man Q Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for (but possibly not limited to) rape, child abuse, eating disorders, murder, and alcoholism.  
> Not sure if that covers all of it, but I think it does... If you have triggers skip to the 800Q8 and it's all better.   
> I'm sorry...  
> Don't hate me too much?  
> Please?

The Man Q Fears

 

“He killed my Mum… Ben and I were five… He used to hit her and my brother and me… He used to hurt her and burn his cigars into her skin and he chopped off her hair… She had such lovely dark waves…but he chopped them all away, proclaiming they made her look like a whore… He chopped them off and she looked like Ben and I, her beautiful hair was turned into a mess, James. He hit my mother at the top of the stairs a week after our birthday… She fell, James…she fell and tripped on the rug…she hit the bottom with such a sickening thud… I—I can still hear it sometimes, that sound. So much blood…her head was bashed in…bleeding… Ben was so angry, he spoke out at our father, but…father blamed me… She wouldn’t have slipped if the rug wasn’t loose on the stairs… I was supposed to fix it…and I hadn’t done well enough… It was my fault she died because I should have done better…”

“No, Q…that’s not true…”

“He put her in the plane in the back yard… Mum’s dad had been a pilot and she had his small plane…she always meant to have it fixed… He left her body in that metal box to rot away… Then he turned on us. He hit Ben and me…and he… He wouldn’t feed us if he was in a mood or if he wasn’t pleased with us… If we did something bad we didn’t get to eat…if we did ‘good’, if we were ‘good boys’ we had food. Sometimes he’d only feed one of us and he’d make us watch the other and made sure we didn’t share food. If the ‘good’ one refused to eat he’d force them to eat or beat the ‘bad’ one until the ‘good’ one ate… When we were bad he’d drag us out of the house by our hair… He’d put us in the plane with Mum…he’d tell us we’d end up like her if we were bad… It was awful… A metal coffin full of the stench of death and rot…and we could never get out… he’d tie us to the inside, sometimes for hours, forcing us to sit there with our decaying mother whenever we did wrong. Have you any idea what a five month-old corpse smells like in the middle of a hot day? Especially when it’s the mother you helped kill.” Q was hunched over, pulling at his hair. James pressed another kiss against him, pulling him closer.

“It wasn’t your fault, Q.”

“Try making a five-year-old understand that. At twenty-five I was still sure I’d killed her.” Q said, tears still streaking down his face. “He’d drink, he drank religiously…then we were really in trouble. He liked hitting me… He said I sounded pretty when I screamed, Ben didn’t scream as much, he was always stronger than me. He made a game of it…trying to see how loudly I’d scream… He didn’t leave scars…not often, he was more of a punching person than a cutting and burning person…but he once…he once turned on the gas stove…pushed me down on it when I got angry and refused to let him have the _pleasure_ of hearing me scream… Hospital fucking believed him when he told them I tripped into a bonfire. But when he was drunk and not occupied with me he… He raped Ben…he would have done it to me too, but Ben protected me…he kept me safe, he stood up to dad and collected all of his rage so that I…so that I wouldn’t have to feel that.

“We were thirteen when we got smart…plotted everything out and ‘accidently’ managed to get him killed. We murdered our own father…let everyone assume it was an accident and then ran before anyone could pin the blame on us, ran before they took us into custody. Our name used to be Jones…but I changed it, I erased all records of us and changed our last name to Shaw and we ran and we didn’t stop until we reached London…two teens in the middle of a big city, they’d never find us. We tested into Cambridge…both earned scholarships that paid for everything…and we stuck together…we did all we could, James.

“I’m wrong, James. I’m broken. I’m claustrophobic and I can’t fly without smelling that damn smell. I have a damn eating disorder that flairs up every time I do something hugely wrong. I failed a paper in my second year and lost so much weight because I was punishing myself that the doctors wondered how I was managing to keep myself alive. I fought most of it back…but sometimes when bad things happen I still catch myself thinking that I can’t eat, that I’m not allowed, that I’m not good enough for food. When M died and Silva tore MI6 apart…I didn’t eat for three days before I realized what I was doing to myself, that I was punishing myself.

“There are statistics out there, James… Statistics all over that say that abused often become abusive themselves…that they simply break…that they don’t know what else to do so they become what they once hated. I can’t do that. I can’t… I can’t.” Q said, shaking his head. His breaths becoming panicked. “I can’t, don’t let me. James please don’t let me do that… It all started by him slapping mum… I can’t… I can’t hurt Melanie…please don’t let me…please.” Q sobbed into James’ shirt, almost unable to breathe in his panic, his fear.

What do you say to that? What do you say to such a distraught person? What do you say to a brilliant and loving man who thinks they’ll become a monster? What do you say to the most wonderful, soulful, loving person you’ve met when they feel they will be nothing but rotten? Do soothing words even begin to help? James didn’t know much more than the fact that his heart broke for the man.

“Q, you won’t ever become him. I promise. You love your daughter. I’ve seen you with her Q and it’s absolutely beautiful. I know you, Q. You’ve been my friend for a long time and I trust you, you are good through and through; there isn’t an evil bone in your body. You’re beautiful and amazing and you will never hurt her, I promise.”

“But she was—”

“Q, she could have gotten herself seriously hurt or died... It’s alright, one slap on the wrist isn’t going to hurt her, God knows I got a million from my parents. Of course…it didn’t really work out…they were trying to keep me from the gun cabinet and look where I ended up in my life.” James tried to lighten the mood, tried to make Q feel better. “Q, there’s a difference between abuse and discipline, whether people think it or not. Kids are disciplined for their own protection, without knowledge of boundaries they could get themselves hurt in the real world. What your father did was horrible and if you hadn’t have killed him I’d hunt him down and do it myself, but he did what he did because he got a sick, twisted pleasure from it. Q look at yourself…you’re broken and all you did was slap her wrist and tell her no. You will _never_ be like him, can’t you see it? Don’t you see how good you are? Q, Mels is alive and playing in her crib because of you, she probably wouldn’t have been okay if she touched that, Q… You saved her, she’s alright. She wasn’t even all that upset. By the time I got her into her crib she was smiling again, you didn’t hurt her, Q. She’s alright, my love… She’s alright.”

“James…don’t…don’t let me hurt her… I can’t, I can’t.”

“Sh…my love, you won’t. You won’t, I promise.” James soothed, pulling Q closer, practically onto his lap. “Shh…shh, darling… It’s alright. Everything’s fine now. You don’t have to worry about anything, my love, I have you. I’ve got you.” James promised, cradling Q’s head against his chest. Q sobbed until he had nothing left in him, except for the jolts in his chest of dry sobs. “Come here, love…come on…” James picked Q up and carried him to the bed, putting him down in the bed, under the covers before he curled up next to him.

Q turned to face him and buried himself against James’ chest. “Where’s M-Melanie?”

“In her crib…she’s alright…just relax. I’ve got you.” James promised. “You’re alright…just relax, my love.”

800Q8

Q stood at the sink and washed his face for a moment before drying it off and putting on his glasses. “Alright?” James asked, putting his hand on Q’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry…about that… You shouldn’t have had to deal with that. I don’t…I—”

“Hey… It’s alright.” James promised, wrapping his arms around Q’s waist, pulling Q’s back against his chest.

“No, it isn’t—”

“Q, I’ve come to you more times then I care to admit. I’ve told you things in your damn office that…well, you know. Q it’s alright to have these moments. It’s alright, especially given…”

“My past.” Q finished.

“Yes.”

“Don’t…please don’t…” _tell…bring it up…pity me…say anything…don’t…_ Q didn’t know what to say or what he wanted to say.

James understood and simply pressed a kiss against Q’s cheek. “It’s all fine, love.”

“Thank you for—”

“You don’t have to thank me, Q.”

“Gabriel. Mum named me Gabriel.”

“Gabriel.” James smiled, kissing him one more time against his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	9. Again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jen's a stalker. That is all.

Again?

 

“Longest date ever.” Q commented as they sat on the sofa, leaning against James’ side. Melanie was on James’ lap, playing with Ti and babbling quietly to herself. Q had changed her, but James could tell he was still worried, nervous around her.

“And that’s a bad thing?” James asked worriedly, hoping it hadn’t been too much. Happy to see Q a little less tense.

“No, but it’s surely a new personal record.” Q chuckled. Nearly a full day with someone else, not something Q was used to.

“Mm, a lovely new record then.” James smiled, tilting his head to rest on Q’s curls.

“Dada?” Melanie asked, looking up at Q before crawling from James’ lap into Q’s. Q tensed for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. She snuggled close and smiled contentedly.

“Hello, sweetie.” Q smiled gently.

“Da bo.”

“Try again, darling.” Q stated with a small smile.

“Dada we boo?”

“Much better, very good, my angel.” Q grinned. “You get smarter every second, my love.” Q said, getting up and carrying her with her as he went to a shelf and let Melanie look at it. “Which one, Ellie?”

“Loo!”

“You really like that one, don’t you? Alright, but tomorrow we’re going to read a bigger book. Maybe Harry Potter, okay?” Q asked, grabbing the book and sitting back down next to James. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” James promised. Q smiled and leaned against his side, opening the book in front of Melanie as she twisted, looking at the pictures as she leaned against her father’s torso.

“ _I was real happy...”_ Q read gently to Melanie, his voice a little more animated and James was sure his heart melted at the way Q read and the way Melanie’s eyes widened at the change in voice. Q smiled and turned the page with Melanie, reading on and on, changing his voice subtly to fit the story as it shifted.

James loved listening, loved to hear that voice, the voice that always pulled him from harm talking in a different, but still beautiful way. He loved feeling Q’s head against his shoulder and seeing Melanie slowly drift off in Q’s lap, blinking as she tried to stay awake, looking at the pictures. It was a beautiful image and James felt blessed to be allowed into such a tender moment. He knew he wasn’t quite made for such a tender time, but Q had allowed him in anyway. Melanie fell asleep before the second to last page, but Q kept reading. Q finished the book gently, kissing the top of Melanie’s head. “Afternoon naptime.” Q smiled at James before he put the book down, wrapping his arms around Melanie before he slowly stood up, managing not to wake her up.

James had heard Q snap at him a million times for being too quiet and needing a bell tied around his neck, but there Q was, just as silent and stealth. James couldn’t help but follow him to the door to the tiny office/nursery. James leaned against the frame of the door and watched as Q put Melanie down in her crib, covering her in a blanket gently. She opened her eyes blearily and Q cooed at her gently, soothing her back to sleep, giving her her dummy to suck on and placing Ti across from her, in sight. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Love you, Ellie. Sleep well.” He smiled and pulled back as she closed her eyes, suckling idly at the dummy. Q turned around and pressed a button on an IPod on his desk, starting music. Q breezed, silently, out of the room and closed the door behind him.

“Music?”

“Two Steps from Hell, classical music is good for children, and they’re her favorite.” Q smiled.

“She’s a very good kid.”

“She’s not very fussy. She’s very quiet. Ellie’s a sweetheart.” Q smiled.

“Makes for two members of your family who are very quiet and sweet.” James ginned and kissed Q’s cheek gently.

“Flatterer.” Q accused lightly, wrapping his arms around James’ waist.

“I can be.” James smiled. Q sighed and leaned against James’ chest, taking in his warm, masculine scent…even now—without having shot a gun in five days—his skin still had the faint scent of gunpowder. “Are you alright?” James asked, rubbing Q’s back soothingly.

“Yeah, better, thank you…”

“No problem, darling.”

“Pet names, already?”

“Hardly my fault that they fit you so well.” James smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to Q’s lips.

“I know.” Q said after a minute of silence. Both of them went still.

“When did you find out?” James asked after a few, tense seconds.

“It was pretty obvious, James…why else would you be afraid of me saying no to you?” Q asked quietly, pulling back just enough so their eyes met. “I—”

“Sh…” James whispered, putting a finger to Q’s lips. “You don’t have to say anything. I don’t want you to, not until you mean it, not until you’re completely sure.”

“Alright,” Q smiled as James ran his hands down his arms, looking at him with his piercing like he was the only living being on the planet. The look sent chills down Q’s spine.

“I’ll wait.” James smiled warmly.

“That’s a bit over-confident of you, don’t you think?” Q smiled gently, pulling James a little bit closer.

“I hope not.” James grinned and kissed Q gently, sweetly. “I should go home, let you have a free night with Mels.”

“Um…yeah, sure.” Q said, a bit shaken up by the gentle nature of the kiss, so opposite of the way James acted in nearly everything else he did.

“Would you mind it very much if I took you out again sometime? Maybe take Mels and you to the zoo, to see big cats.”

“I think she’d like that.” Q nodded.

“And you?” James wondered.

“I’d like that… You know, I’ve never been to the zoo before…”

“Really? I’ll fix that.” James smiled, kissing Q once more. “Have a good night, Gabriel.”

“You too, James.” Q smiled, walking with James to the door. Unable to do anything but lean against the door after he’d closed it, a huge, warm smile filling his face. Q giggled uncontrollably—giddy and happier than he’d been for a long time, complete—for a moment before he shook his head and walked to the kitchen, getting dinner around for himself and Melanie. There was a knock on the door before it opened and Jen walked in with a very smug look on her face.

“He left in the same clothes he wore in.”

“Jen, nothing happened.”

“I’m not blind, he’s fucking gorgeous.” Jen commented, leaning against the breakfast nook.

“Language, and keep your voice down, Ellie’s napping.”

“I know, but seriously. Completely doable.”

“You’re sixteen, you shouldn’t be thinking those things.”

“It’s hardly my fault that I know what attractive people look like and he’s gorgeous. A bit scary though, I suspect he’s got a gun on him at all times. Sort of reminds me of a secret agent—”

“Jen.” Q warned.

“Ooh, hit the nail on the head then. Sorry, I won’t tell anyone that you’re dating an international man of mystery.” Jen smirked. “So he’s a gentleman then?”

“Yes…very much so.”

“Oh…you’re so smitten. It’s adorable.”

“What are you doing over here?”

“Stalking you.” Jen shrugged and winked.

“You are ridiculous.”

“You are adorable.” Jen grinned. “So when’s the next date?”

“Jen…”

“Come on, tell me. I’ve got no one else to talk to.”

“What about that tenor boy, what’s his name?”

“Edward and it won’t work out between us, I’m smart enough to know that. He’s too shy and I’m too shy. We’ll never say a thing. You, however, have just had a good date, so since I’m going to be forever alone, I’d really like to talk about this.”

“Don’t say never, Jen.”

“I’m a realist, Mr. Shaw. So do tell.” She smiled.

“We don’t have one set, but he wants to take Ellie and me to the zoo.”

“Really? Oh, Melanie will love that. Is he good with her?”

“Very.” Q grinned.

“That’s sweet.”

“Oh, by the way, would you like to earn a little extra?”

“You might as well just pay for uni for me at this rate.”

“If you’d prefer, you’ve earned it.” Q shrugged. He’d feel perfectly fine paying her way through uni.

“Mr. Shaw, you know I couldn’t ask that. What do you need?”

“My hair’s getting a bit unruly and the last time I did it—” He didn’t much care for going out to get things done unless he had to, it only meant that more people would see him on a consistent basis and they could potentially get into trouble.

“You are never cutting your own hair again, that was agreed and you know it. It was awful the last time you cut it.”

“Don’t have to rub it in, it’s hardly my fault it’s difficult to cut evenly.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll cut it for you.” Jen smiled. “Sheers in the bathroom?”

“Yes.” Q answered, but she was already gone. She came back and smiled.

“Let’s try to tame this, shall we?”

“Please do, it’s hardly bearable any longer. Want me to wash it before—?”

“Mr. Shaw…really? I can still smell shampoo from here. You’re not a slob, you know.”

“But I—”

“Shut up, I’m the one with the sheers and you had better remember that.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WANNA GO TO THE ZOO WITH THEM!!!  
> Much Love.


	10. Shit...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, just got writing again.  
> The shit hits the fan a little bit at the end, otherwise cuteness and a slight case of homophobia, but Q keeps James from killing people.
> 
> Q: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/17/21/57/1721575e25ea878b5492b9362ca40170.jpg  
> Ellie: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f9ee8HJTFaI/U4fqO2WNNDI/AAAAAAAAAGw/wq41mzRDnb8/s1600/Ellie1.png

Shit…

 

“Can’t be sticky, beautiful.” Q commented, washing Melanie’s hands gently. “James is coming over today, he’s going to take us to the Zoo. How do you feel about that, Ellie?”

“Mm.”

“You’re sleepy today, aren’t you?” Q smiled and lifted her into his arms, kissing the top of her head gently. He walked to his room and opened his closet. “What am I going to wear, baby?” Q asked and Melanie looked around enough to reach out and grab a shirt. A long sleeved maroon shirt. “That one? And what about trousers?” But Melanie was already snoozing on his shoulder again. “Lord, did you party all last night?” Q chuckled before he moved her to her room, putting her in her crib before going back to get dressed in the shirt Melanie had picked out and pulled on some dark jeans and shoes before he went back to Melanie’s room.

Q pulled out clothes for her, smiling at the next bodysuit in the drawer. It was one of the many geek influence ones he’d bought for her. Among the pretty pinks, reds, blues, greens, and purples were a few that made Q really smile. A collection of Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, Sherlock, and Supernatural bodysuits _somehow_ managed to make their way into Melanie’s wardrobe. Q was exceptionally fond of this one, a Ravenclaw one. “You can be in whatever house you choose when you grow up, but you will be smart enough to be a Ravenclaw.” Q assured Melanie as he got her dressed without stirring her, slipping on the clothes and snapping them in place.

Q picked her up and gently set her down on her changing table, brushing out her hair before keeping the messier locks back with a TARDIS bow. He smiled and kissed her forehead before he carried her into the living room. There was a knock on the door and Q went to it, looking at the screen next to the door before he opened it. “Hello, James.” Q smiled. James smiled and pressed a gentle kiss to Q’s lips.

“Hello.” James replied, smirking slightly when Q blushed. It was quite obvious he wasn’t used to the attention. Q let him in and closed the door behind him. “You look good.”

“Thank Ellie, she picked my shirt.”

“Does she always pick your clothes?”

“Normally.”

“That explains the outfits.”

“Oh, hush, Tom Ford.”

“Can’t argue with style.” James smirked. Q rolled his eyes, sighed, and promptly gave up, knowing that he’d never be able to win any fight on clothes with James. The man was perfection in everything he wore.

“Sorry, I’m a bit behind. Ellie’s sleepy today. Um, would you like tea or anything?”

“I’m fine, Gabriel.” James chuckled. “Do whatever you need to do.”

“Thank you.” Q kissed his cheek gently before he left the room, getting around a bag for Melanie. When he returned to the living room he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of James holding Melanie close to his chest.

“You’re beautiful, Mels, absolutely gorgeous. Sleepy too…how are you supposed to see the tigers if you’re sleeping?”

“She’ll wake up. It’s about mid-morning nap time, but she is a bit sleepy today.” Q said gently before walking forward and pausing when he looked at the car seat he had out. “Um…James?”

“Yes?”

“We can’t really put a car seat in an Aston.”

“Don’t worry, I borrowed a car.”

“You what?”

“Well, actually I stole it, since Alec isn’t around to defend himself, but it’ll work.”

“Alec will kill you.”

“Alec’s in China, what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him.” James smirked. “Oh, and that neighbor of yours took a picture of me, should I be worried?”

“She told me she might need a picture to remember you by…if she had to kill you…”

“Remind me not to drink or eat anything she offers me.” Q only laughed.

800Q8

“You’re really never been to a zoo?” James asked as he watched Q and Melanie. He had Q’s hand in his, and Melanie was in Q’s other arm, leaning towards the glass with wide eyes. They both looked happy, in awe of the life around them. James took a picture, he’d promised Q he’d take pictures: since it was both of their first times.

“Dor!”

“Yes, that’s Dory.” Q beamed in kissed her cheek. “No…never. Didn’t have that sort of family. Hard to believe you would enjoy a place like this.”

“Most of the creatures haven’t tried to kill me, unlike humans.” James chuckled. “My parents took me once, about a year before they died.”

“It’s beautiful. I’d never get to see this. Not without flying and…that’s not an option.”

“Ne!”

“Nemo…” Q grinned in agreement, bouncing her on his hip.

“Nemo?” James asked as they began to walk.

“You’ve never seen Finding Nemo? God, you’ve missed out.” Q chuckled. They walked together through the crowds and James caught himself wondering, not for the first time, why Q didn’t have a stroller. Certainly that would be easier, wouldn’t it? So he asked. “To be honest, I don’t always get to spend time with her, so when I do I try to hold her all I can. She loves being held and…she’s going to grow up and God knows one day it won’t be cool to be held by her daddy… So I take advantage of the time I do have… Plus, I can’t fit it in the flat.” Q shrugged.

“You need a bigger home.”

“I know it better than most… I’ve been looking. It’s hard to find security and space at the same time, especially in London. Ellie look at that.” Q grinned, pointing to a wallaby that was just on the other side of the fence. Ellie clapped her little hands and giggled reaching out. “No, honey. We don’t get to touch.” Q commented as the wallaby hopped closer, Ellie could have touched him if Q let her.

“I think it’s alright, Gabe.” James commented, reaching out himself and rubbing the creature’s furry ears gently. It was obviously used to the attention.

 _You can’t let nothing happen to her, then nothing would ever happen to her…_ Q thought to himself before letting Ellie touch its head gently, watching like a hawk for any sudden movements. It didn’t move, letting Ellie pat his head. She giggled happily before snuggling close to her daddy and grabbing his shirt. James couldn’t help but smile when Q gently touched the furry being. It was obvious that the experience was good for him. He was almost child-like with wonder and happiness. It was good to see the tension leave him, if only for a little while…and Ellie was absolutely ecstatic. The continued through the zoo when James managed to scoop Ellie out of Q’s arms. “James…” Q sighed barely managing to keep up with him.

“…doesn’t believe me. But I am telling the truth. A Komodo Dragon, just like that one there, ate my Walther. Nothing to be done about it.” James said, pointing. “You believe me don’t you, Mels?”

“Don’t believe a thing he says.” Q snapped. “He takes pleasure in ruining everything I give him. It is the very reason why we can’t have nice things. And why my budgets get cut… Don’t let the blue eyes deceive you. Don’t fall for them, trust me.”

“That implies that you’ve fallen for them.” James smirked.

“Perhaps I have. It’s a trap, Ellie.” Q commented, kissing the back of Ellie’s head. She turned toward her daddy and pressed a sloppy kiss to his cheek.

“But I’m telling the truth, the lizard ate my Walther.”

“Don’t you believe him for a minute, baby girl.”

“I feel like I’m being teamed up against…”

“Definitely.” Q promised. “Besides, who in the world comes up with such a ridiculous story?”

“True story.” James jibbed back.

“Sure it is.”

800Q8

The sound they heard nearly made everyone in the zoo stop and look. It was and unintelligible shriek that was loud, high, and ended with a giggle that escaped Melanie’s mouth when she saw a tiger. “Ti! Da! TI!” She shouted, giggling and pointing, wriggling in James’ arms to look between her father and the tiger. “Ti!”

“Yes, baby, tiger.” Q smiled warmly. “But, God, they’re huge. I mean I knew in theory…but…” With the way Melanie squirmed Q was sure anyone else would have lost her and she would have climbed into the area to be raised by the tigers.

“Whoa, angel, calm down.” James tried to sooth her, but she kept squirming. Q chuckled and somehow managed to snap a picture before he grabbed Melanie and pulled her into his arms.

“Calm down, my love.” He kissed her head gently and swayed slightly. James had no idea how he’d done it, but Melanie stopped squirming, only pointing and giggling now.

“To?”

“No, honey, we can’t touch these ones, Ellie. They would try to gobble you up and I’d be forced to hurt them.” Q smiled. Ellie obviously knew what ‘no’ meant, because she gave Q the saddest, most adorably disarming pout anyone could have ever imagined. James wanted to buy her the damn tiger and let her keep it. Q was stronger, looking unimpressed. “No.” Melanie sighed and reached out again, looking at the tigers with extreme fascination. She could have been four years old, not just eleven and a half months old.

“How do you say no to that face?”

“Same way I say no to you.” Q shrugged. “Ignore the face and stick with my brain. Someone has to make sure there aren’t spoiled people running around constantly.”

“Ti…”

“I’m sure we can get you a pet tiger.”

“Don’t encourage her.” Q sighed looking out at the creature. They lingered for a while longer than necessary, just so Melanie could watch them and giggle before they moved on. Melanie wasn’t happy at first, but was quickly distracted by monkeys.

800Q8

“Ti!” Melanie called out again as they approached the lion’s.

“These are lions, sweetie.”

“Ti.” Melanie stated.

“Lions.” Q tried to correct her, but Melanie wouldn’t have it.

“Ti.”

“I think she likes them being tigers.”

“I think she just likes tigers.”

“They’re all in the same family anyway.” James shrugged. “Isn’t that right, angel?” Melanie gave him a smile before returning her attention to the lions.

“If you team up on me I’ll win.”

“How do you figure?”

“I’m a genius. I could destroy the world in my pajamas and a single cuppa.”

“Then I’ll have to steal your tea.”

“That is a serious offence and won’t go unpunished.” Q said glaring at James. “No one threatens my tea and gets away with it.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me, not in front of Mels.”

“You’re going into the field next time with a water pistol, I swear it.”

“Will it have water in it?” James wondered.

“Nope. You’ll have to find that yourself.”

“Lovely.” James chuckled.

“Don’t mess with me. I can bring the world down with a few keystrokes.” Q smirked before Melanie made a little gasping noise and giggled. “What is it, my love?”

“Reh!”

“What’s red, Ellie?” Q asked, looking around. “Butterflies? You want to go see butterflies?”

“Reh-reh…”

“Or maybe you just want to go inside the colorful building, point taken.”

“She stuns me, how smart she is.”

“If she gets any smarter it’s going to be impossible to keep up.”

800Q8

They sat in a small park in the zoo, under a tree, Ellie walking between them. She could manage five steps before she wobbled, tripped, or promptly sat back on her bottom. “You didn’t have to buy lunch you know.” James commented when Melanie decided to take a rest on his knee, looking around at the world with wide eyes.

“I did, you brought us here, the least I could do.” Q smiled before looking at Melanie. “She’s going to fall asleep soon.”

“She seems fine to me.”

“Yes, but I give her four minutes until she yawns and five until she’s out cold on your lap.” Q chuckled. “I envy her, she just pops off whenever she wants.”

“She deserves it. She’s been busy today.” James smiled.

“Mm-hmm.” Q smiled fondly, kissing her cheek and sliding to sit next to James, taking his free hand and resting his head against his shoulder.

“You’re exhausted.”

“Didn’t sleep much these past few days…not with…well, Cuba.”

“Point made…” James nodded, resting his head on Q’s. “Should I expect you to pass out as well?”

“Not safe out here, I won’t sleep, besides I don’t like closing my eyes around Ellie.”

“Because you’re a good dad.” James supplied.

“Because I know that there are monsters out there and because I want to know when I have to run.”

“Good way to live.” James smiled. “Bit paranoid, but who isn’t?” He chuckled and pressed a tender kiss to Q’s lips. “I’ll take you home so you can both nap for a bit, how does that sound?”

“I shouldn’t sleep during the day, it messes with my schedule. But that sounds like a good idea. At least Ellie will get some rest out of it.” Q smiled and kissed him back before standing up and offering a hand to James, but he managed to get up and balance Melanie at the same time. James smiled at her and she smiled back, before yawning.

“You were spot on.”

“Sixty seconds and counting, she’ll be sleeping.” Q commented, reaching the bag he’d packed for her and pulling out a pacifier for her. She sucked on it tiredly and stretched in James’ arms, leaning against his shoulder, blinking heavily. “Sleep, Ellie.” Q whispered, kissing the dark curls on her head. Ellie cooed gently before going to sleep against James’ shoulder. James smiled and held Q’s hand in his free hand, Q couldn’t help but smile happily. The only downside was a voice Q heard but consciously choose to ignore.

“…doing that in public? Vulgar. What has the world come to? Look away, Kellie.” A woman said to her teenaged daughter, who rolled her eyes. James’ body stiffened slightly.

“James, don’t. It’s alright.”

“But—”

“Sh. I don’t care, if holding hands is vulgar compared to the absolutely—” he covered Melanie’s ears gently, not even stirring her, “whorish shirt she was wearing then, I don’t mind being vulgar, and it’s not worth a fight.”

“Are you always so logical?”

“It’s how I live.” Q shrugged.

“It was a ghastly shirt.” James agreed. “And I’ll never understand why clothing that’s supposed to go underneath other clothes is considered appropriate.”

“Me neither… I think that they believe it’s attractive. I wouldn’t know, I’m gay, don’t really care; I just think that elegant modesty and natural beauty should be more appreciate.”

“I prefer ladies in dresses or…apparently nerdy onesies.” James said with a smile.

“Well, the nerd in the onesie seems taken by you. She doesn’t like sleeping near strangers…first month Jen was over she was a mess, poor girl didn’t sleep much.”

“I’m irresistible.”

“Apparently so.”

“Really?”

“I was speaking in reference to woman. I, however, am resilient to all such charms.”

“Is that so?”

“I’ll let you know.”

800Q8

James left Q for five seconds, just to see what he could make for dinner and when he looked out into the living room Q was sleeping with Melanie laying on his chest, both of them perfectly at ease. “Dinner later then.” James smiled before he walked into the room and gently pulled at Melanie. Q’s hand lashed out and gripped his wrist with a punishing force, nearly snapping it. “Sh, Gabriel, it’s me, alright? You’re fine. Just putting Mels in her crib, alright? Don’t want her falling, okay?” Q glared for a moment before letting go of James.

James put Melanie down in her crib before returning to Q, scooping him up. “What are you doing?” Q mumbled.

“Getting you some rest, Gabriel. You need it.” James said, putting the man in his bed, slipping his shoes free and taking off his glasses slowly, giving Gabriel a chance to stop him if he wanted.

“Is cuddling with an assassin an option?”

“If you want it to be.”

“Mm, sounds comfy.”

“Are you falling prey to my charms, Mr. Shaw?”

“Don’t push it, Bond.” Q quipped back, pulling James down onto the bed and snuggling close to him.

“You’re a bit pushy when you’re tired.”

“Didn’t you learn that on your second assignment with me?” That had been a bad day. James had written a mental book called: 101 Reasons Not to Piss Q Off. Five days without sleep, apparently, made Q impossible to deal with. Some people died, some flinched for weeks after the event whenever they saw Q, and James himself recalled a glare that had sent chills down his spine—if looks could kill Q and his dark glare would have killed every member and enemy of MI6 that day. Rule One—until that time—had been bring tea for the Quartermaster, it had been replaced with Q must sleep every four days at the very least, or be allowed power naps during emergency situations. No one wanted the incident repeated. Good guys won the fight, but they never wanted to see the wrathful god Q became when he was left without sleep.

“Do you have a knife under your pillow?” James asked.

“You’re asking this _now_?” Q wondered, snuggling further into James’ chest.

“I don’t want to be stabbed.”

“Pillow’s safe… Side table is another story, and the headboard has a few weapons behind it, nothing to worry about.”

“I can’t decide if I should run or if you’re absolutely brilliant.”

“If you keep me awake, I’ll make that decision for you.” Q teased with a small smile.

“Sleep well, Gabriel.” James smiled, pressing a kiss to Q’s forehead.

“Just a nap, okay…just a nap…" Q commented before he fell back into a deep sleep.

“Like that’ll happen.” James sighed, closing his eyes and resting.

800Q8

“Sorry about that.” Q said as he stretched against James, seeing the clock and wincing slightly, he’d taken a bit more than a nap.

“It’s alright.” James sighed and smiled. “Do you want a midnight snack?”

“Not if you mean it the way your tone implies.”

“Purely innocent, I promise. Unless, of course, you—”

“Shut it…” Q chuckled, pushed the man on the shoulder playfully and sat up, searching the side table for his glasses blindly.

“Here,” James said gently, handing them to him. “Sorry, you’re probably used to them being in a certain spot.”

“Only a little.” Q smiled, slipping them on and blinking away the sleep. “I could eat though.”

“You always could.” James rolled his eyes. For being so skinny, Q could eat for such a scrawny guy. “I’ll fix you something.”

“I still think it’s amazing you cook.”

“Shut up, I’m not just a mindless robot you can program…”

“I could, given the right equipment and a proper hard drive and—” James put a finger to Q’s lips.

“You scare me sometimes.”

“It wouldn’t be difficult. Maybe two surgeries, very small incisions, almost no scarring.”

“Okay, remind me not to sign up for that upgrade.”

“If you want.” Q shrugged. James sighed heavily before he left the room heading for the kitchen. Q checked on Melanie before he followed James and leaned against the kitchen counter. “I should have—” Q’s phone rang. “Shit.” He ran to his phone and picked it up quickly. “This is Q.”

“ _We need you here, now.”_

“Yes, sir.” Q hung up just as James’ phone rang.

“Must be big.” James commented, answering his phone before hanging up a moment later.

“At least I got a little sleep this time.” Q commented before he grabbed a radio and his laptop back, pulling it over his shoulder after slipping into a cardigan. He pulled on his shoes and closed Ellie’s door before he headed to the front door.

“Will she be alright?”

“I’ve got it handled.” Q promised. Home-Q to calm, calculating, work-Q in an instant. James followed him and watched Q slip a lock-pick into the door next to his. Less than a second and Q had the door open—he’d done it before. James watched in the doorway as Q walked quickly and silently through the flat, opening another door. “Emergency, Jen. Don’t know when I’ll be back. Take care of her for me.” He said, throwing the radio on the bed of the girl who had woken the instant her door opened.

“I’ve got it.”

“Thank you, I owe you one.” Q nodded before he rushed out of the flat, both he and Bond heading out the door. “I hope you don’t mind driving me.”

“Not at all, Q.” James nodded. The instant they got into the car Q had somehow managed to have a whole station set up in his seat.

“Don’t get me killed, 007. All lights will be green.” Q stated before he began to work. “Oh God, why didn’t they get me sooner?”

“What happened?”

“Security breach…something stolen from Q-branch, plans for a project of mine. A lot of people aren’t going to be happy with me, but apparently, whoever stole them sold out to a group of extremists from North Korea, lovely.”

“What were you doing?”

“I was doing some work, it’s all very top secret and…and little bit…invasive, and someone sold me out. They stole my plans I didn’t even get around to testing them the third time..”

“How would they do that? How could they?”

“They couldn’t, unless they broke into Q-branch. But there was no break-in.”

“They already work there, then.”

“Exactly. Shit…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	11. Conniving and a Bullet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conniving part is awesome (I love Jen and Eve...and Q--everyone is scheming in this chapter) the bullet part isn't as fun... But whatever.  
> Don't know why this took so long to write, but I hope you enjoy it.

Conniving and a Bullet

 

James was promptly shipped into North Korea, looking for a needle in a haystack. Q had commented that it was actually more like “a needle that looks like hay. A hay-like needle of death.” James had laughed, M hadn’t been amused, and Tanner had shook his head and let out the tiniest of laughs. Trying to find a specific enemy in North Korea would be difficult, especially after the mess Alec had made in the country, everyone there hated MI6 because of Alec’s idiocy, among other things. Q had barely gotten Alec out alive that time.

Q had then spent a whole day looking into every one of his branch member’s families. He looked for connections to any illegal worlds, even down to the smallest connections and even checked to see if anyone had gone missing or was captured. The most dirt he got on anyone was a murder, but that was typical of MI6 members to have a shaky past. No one had missing relatives, everyone was accounted for, safe.

Whoever had betrayed MI6 was doing it for themselves, not because someone was manipulating them. That made the betrayal, somehow, sting worse. Q sighed heavily and picked up his phone. “Hello?”

“M, I haven’t found anything.”

“How can you find nothing? There has to be electronic traces—“

“M, these are Q-Branch members, they’re not stupid and they know how to hide traces of themselves. Not to boast but we’re the most dangerous division here, which is why the traitor is…such a big deal.”

“Alright… Are you going to take up my offer? You know you’re the only one they’ll be after… You’re not necessarily in the safest position right now.”

“Please.” Q agreed.

“You trust him?”

“Completely, I know he wouldn’t do anything like this.”

“Alright, see you in my office in a little while.”

“Yes, sir.” Q said, looking down at his watch. Whenever there was a problem with security the branch heads had a language prepared all their own. Office meant first meeting place, which had been in Churchill’s bunker, where the new Q-branch had been established. Q knew he had exactly three and a half hours to get there, without drawing attention or being followed. Piece of cake.

800Q8

“Sorry about all of this, M.” Q commented as he walked into the old branch right on time.

“It’s alright, not your fault. You can’t even say you hired them, because most of them were hired before you showed up. It isn’t your fault.” M nodded.

“I agree.” Tanner smiled slightly, just enough to show sincerity. Eve simply beamed at Q, not afraid to smile whenever there was a problem.

“Are we the only four who know about Melanie?” M asked.

“No…”

“Who else knows?” M demanded.

“James knows.” Q commented.

“James Bond—?”

“I trust him. He’s the last person who would turn on this country and you know it.” Q stated.

“Bit touchy…” Tanner commented.

“Dating?” Eve suggested with a slight waggle to her eyebrows.

“Unofficially.” Q answered when everyone stared at him with questions in their eyes.

“Fuck, Q…” M rubbed his face. “Does anyone know you’re together aside from us now and that…babysitter of yours?”

“No…no one.”

“Well at least there’s that. Five and a half of us, that’s doable.” M sighed. “What do you need, Q?”

“I don’t want her to be alone. I will work all I have to, but I don’t want my daughter unprotected.”

“Consider it done. Eve, you’re on active duty again.”

“I _am_ an aunt.” Eve grinned.

“Who’s going to look out for you, Q?” Tanner asked.

“I’ll be alright, I’ll just—”

“No, someone should look after you. We have an enemy we can’t see, someone needs to look after you, especially since you’re the only person who has the knowledge they want.”

“But I’m usually the one who deals with the unseen enemies.”

“We know, but we want you to go home to your daughter at the end of the day, Q. As much as we love to tell you that we only need you because of your brains, we do like having you around.” M commented. “We don’t want you dead.”

“Thanks for that.” Q commented with a small, genuine smile.

“Tanner, how long do you think you can linger in Q-branch without being suspicious?”

“With Eve in the field? All day. Have me doing her duties while she’s out and I can be down there with as little reason possible as often as I want.” Tanner nodded.

“Until James returns, Tanner’s going to be looking after you. Eve will stay and watch Melanie, but not at your flat. If they’ve been watching you, they’ll know the way there…even though you’re careful.”

“Where will she go?” Q asked.

“That babysitter of yours, do you think she’d allow a baby to move in, along with an agent?”

“I think so. I could sell Jen on that definitely…her mother…maybe not.”

“We can handle one person. I also want you to get rid of all forms of surveillance in the building you live in—”

“Already done, sir.”

“Good…” M nodded. “We’ll help you move out anything that suggests a child and get it settled in the other flat. I don’t want to hear a single word about any of this arrangement spoken again, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.” Everyone responded.

“Good.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll try to resolve this as quickly as possible.”

800Q8

“Try Mels.” Jen commented, pointing to the picture. “I’m trying to teach you a new word. Pah-puh. Say it now. Papa.” She pointed to a different picture. “Who’s this?”

“Dada.”

“Yes, that’s daddy. Who is this?” She asked pointing to herself.

“Je!”

“Yup…who’s this?”

The silence was adorable when it came in the form of a very smart infant looking confused.

“Papa, say papa. Listen… I like this guy and he’s good for daddy, so I think if you’re in on it too, it will have to be, right? Now try again: Papa.”

“Puh.”

“That’s the P sound…we’re half way there!” Jen smiled. She got up and slipped the pictures away before walking to the kitchen, but she froze when she caught the sight of something wrapped in red at the end of the couch. Jen slowly picked it up and started at it questioningly until she felt how soft the contents were and the tag that was on it. It was a first birthday present for Melanie. “Cutie-pie, you’re going to be spoiled rotten.”

There was a sound at the door, and instinctively Jen sprinted to grab Melanie and slip behind the wall into the panic room, sealing the door. Gabriel had told her there was an emergency and there was no way in hell he’d be home that early in the day. Jen sat Melanie down before loading the gun and waiting in silence, sending a text to her boss.

“Where is everyone?” M asked, looking around, seeing toys still on the floor, the tv playing a cartoon.

“Jen?” Q called. His phone vibrated and he smiled down at it. “Clever girl. Wewe ni salama.” He said just loud enough to be heard through the whole flat. Something slid open in the living room wall and Jen stepped out Melanie on her hip and a gun in her free hand.

“Who are they?” Jen demanded, her gun on M. Tanner and Eve instantly reached for their guns. “Don’t you dare, I will shoot you if you move.”

“You’d kill someone?” M asked.

“I don’t think of it as killing. I told you not to move, if you move, you chose death, I didn’t kill you, you wanted it. Mr. Shaw? Who are they?”

“I work with them. Nyumba wazi.” Q said simply, his hands raised. “Put the gun down, they’re here to help. They work with me. I told you, we have an emergency and I’m on the chopping block, we’re trying to keep Melanie safe.”

“Where’s James? Can’t he help?”

“He’s trying to…on the offensive. If that doesn’t work he’ll come back and be on the defensive side of things.” M commented.

“Just put it down, I don’t like guns near, Ellie.” Jen flipped the safety on before putting it down and walking forward. She slapped Q in the face, hard.

“That’s for upsetting Melanie. It took me hours to get her to calm down. You know she gets upset when you’re not there in the morning.”

“Okay…I deserved that one. Yowzah.” Q muttered to himself, rubbing his cheek. Jen could pack a punch.

“Shut it.”

“I like her…can we keep her?” Eve asked with a smile. “She’s spunky.”

“I’ve got dibs. If anything she’ll work with me.” Q commented.

“What if she wants to have a better job?” Eve smirked.

“Shut it, both of you.” M stated.

“That means you’re in charge.” Jen commented turning to face M. “What are we doing?” She demanded, leveling him with an unwavering stare that was somewhere between a challenge and something akin to respect—but not quite respectful.

“We’re moving Melanie into your flat, I take it that it won’t be a problem.”

“No, we’ll make room. We’re all brunets too, so she’ll fit in. We’ve known her her whole life, we can make it convincing that she’s family. We’ll have to clear Mr. Shaw’s flat of everything that suggests she lives here though…”

“Exactly our idea.” M nodded as Jen passed a very squirmy Melanie over to Q. Instantly Melanie planted a wet kiss against his cheek.

“Love you too, baby.” Q smiled, kissing her back several times, making her giggle.

“Tanner, Eve, get started. I need to talk to you.” M demanded, reaching out for Jen’s arm and she pulled back.

“With all due respect, I know how to walk.” Jen said before she led him out of the flat. He closed the door and looked at her.

“Jennifer—”

“Be careful, that’s a fighting word. My name is Jen.” M was shocked at how unafraid she was of him…even the double-o’s were cautious around him. She sounded like…Q, mixed with the previous M.

“Okay then, I need you to protect Melanie with your life, do you understand?”

“Anything for Mels.”

“You also can’t tell anyone anything you know about—”

“Don’t say a word. All I know is that he’s my next-door-neighbor. His name is Mr. Shaw, he keeps strange hours, and he has a nasty habit of keeping his music on at frankly exhausting times of night. Tell me anymore and I can’t be sure I’m convincing. I’m good, but I’m not a damn spy. I can lie as long as it’s the truth in some form, so don’t ruin my perfect world by trying to pull me into the situation. I know damn well enough as it is, don’t add to what I know.”

“You’re a bit snippy.”

“I don’t like people who assume I’m unintelligent because of my age. That’s why Mr. Shaw and I get along. He knows I’m a genius, not the same way as he is, but he knows. Everyone else underestimates me, probably because I don’t talk much.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“I like it when big tough guys go speechless. It’s a weakness. Almost as good as making James wince when I brought over a batch of cupcakes.”

“Why would he be afraid of—?”

“I know how to poison people and he’s well aware of it, we’ve had discussions. Now can I go and help or are you going to talk rather than act? Let me help my friend, and if you get him killed I would avoid your,” she looked him up and down and took a sniff at the air, “bourbon if I were you.” M was left stunned for a moment before he followed her inside. M looked at Q who smirked back.

“Did you really hire her?”

“What did she threaten you with?”

“I think she threatened to poison my bourbon.”

“She threatens the ones she likes. If you just get her icy glare, that’s when you really have to watch out. She’s a great judge of character too. Never been wrong. The people she glares at I’d love to kill.” Q shrugged.

“Would she real—?”

“Yes.” Q nodded. “I’m pretty sure, she’s the reason her dad died. I’ve never pushed her on that subject though… Anyway, she targets weak spots. She used to threaten me with sweats… Now, she knows if she ever wanted to hurt me she’d take Melanie and run.” Q pressed a kiss to Melanie’s head gently. “She threatened food and drink for James and obviously your favorite drink?”

“How in the hell does she know these things?”

“I think she might be Sherlock reincarnated, just saying.”

“I’m hardly a detective! And I can hear you, dimwits.”

“Let’s get to work.”

“Agreed.”

800Q8

“What did you leave here, James?”

 _“What are you talking about_?” James asked.

“Please tell me you’re the one who left the present in my house and not someone trying to kill me.” Q said, his eyes widening at the thought that it could have been someone trying to kill him.

“ _That was me. It’s for Mels. She’s almost one…so I bought her something while we were at the zoo. I didn’t know if we were at that point…but, one’s a big deal.”_

“It’s fine, James. She’s already spoiled though, so I hope you didn’t go all out.” Q commented. It was the last thing that needed to go to Jen’s house. M and Tanner had left, leaving Eve, Jen, and Q to finish up.

_“She’s a princess, she deserves every last bit of spoiling.”_

“Please tell me it isn’t a tiger cub. You did not get her an animal. Please say you didn’t.”

 _“That’s next birthday, Q.”_ James teased.

“I’ll kill you.”

_“No you won’t. You like me too much.”_

“So you say. You’re not as charming as you think.”

“Yes, he is.” Eve commented just as Jen said: “He kind of is.” The two girls smiled at each other and gave each other a high-five.

“Don’t listen to them, Ellie, they know not what they say.” Q warned her, holding her close.

_“Them? Who’s with you?”_

“Eve, M thought it was best that I have someone around me at all times, just in case.”

_“And princess?”_

“Living with the one who’s trying to kill you.”

 _“Good, she’ll be safe then.”_ James sighed. _“You stay safe too, alright?”_

“I’ve got Eve with me at home and Tanner, and all of MI6 around at work. I think I’ll be okay.”

_“I’ll be back in London soon, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack, just like you said. I’ll be home to keep an eye on you soon.”_

“Good, because I think Eve may be a bad influence on Ellie.”

“Hey!” Eve protested. “And why are you lying to him? I’m not here for you. I’m here for her.”

“Shut up, Eve.” Q shot her a glare that made her look at the floor instantly. No one in their right mind messed with Q when he had that look on his face.

_“I’ve got to go, Q… Get some sleep, alright?”_

“Not likely.”

_“For me?”_

“I’ll try.”

 _“That’s the spirit, love.”_ The endearment had slipped out before he’d even noticed it. _“Sweet dreams.”_

“Try to get some sleep too, alright? Goodnight, James. Stay safe.”

 _“See you soon.”_ James promised, before his end of the line went dead.

“Aw, how sweet.” Eve teased.

“Shut up.” Q sighed. They slowly walked to Jen’s flat and Q held Melanie in his arms for a long time. He didn’t want to let her go. It was one thing when he couldn’t, physically, be there…another completely when he was right next door.

“She’ll be alright, Mr. Shaw. I’ll look after her.” Jen promised. “And Eve will be here too. She’s safe.”

“She is, Mr. Shaw, promise.” Eve said, adopting the name for Jen, so she didn’t have to hear anything that may make her a target.

“I know…” Q sighed, kissing her cheek gently and putting her down in her crib. “Daddy loves you, sweetie.” Q promised before looking at Jen. “Make sure to—”

“Play the music or she won’t stay sleeping.”

“And make sure she—”

“Has Ti within sight at all times.”

“And—”

“Mr. Shaw… She’ll be okay.” Jen promised. “I know you like spending all the time you can with her, but this is for her safety… And think about it this way. This is practice for slumber parties later in life. This is her first slumber party, and it’s all girls so you don’t have to worry.” Jen smiled.

“Yeah…sure… She kills people and you know every way to kill people with unsuspecting weapons…color me reassured.”

“You should be.” Jen smiled.

“Alright… I’ll visit tomorrow if I can, definitely before I leave for work though… She hates it if she doesn’t get a good morning kiss.”

“Don’t I know it?” Jen sighed. “Now go and watch Supernatural or some such thing, she’ll be safe over here.”

“Alright…” Q sighed before her left the flat. Jen locked the door behind him.

“I’ve never seen him so...”

“I know. Melanie has a way of breaking him.” Jen nodded, picking Melanie up and setting her down in her lap on the couch.

“Shouldn’t she be going to bed?”

“I was teaching her something when you lot interrupted, I’m going to finish the lesson.” Jen commented, pulling out two pictured. “Who’s this, Ellie?”

“Dada,” Melanie smiled warmly, touching the face in the picture.

“What’s my name, Ellie?”

“Je,” she answered.

“Who’s this, Ellie?” Jen asked, showing her James’ picture. Melanie looked at it, confused before she seemed to remember.

“P.”

“That’s just the P sound, sweetie. Who is this?”

“P.”

“No, Papa… His name is Pahpuh, remember?”

“You are one conniving, brilliant, young lady.” Eve smiled.

“I know.” Jen winked.

“Melanie, the wing man.”

“Brilliant isn’t it?” Jen smirked.

“I’ve got to help you with this.” Eve nodded. “Mellie, this is Pahpuh. Try to say it with me… Pahpuh.”

800Q8

M didn’t notice that for the week after the breech that the windows were being cleaned twice a day, everyday…and Q never pulled his head from his screen long enough to take notice. But had they, they might have stayed away from the windows.

Q took the stairs up to M’s office and knocked on the door. “Come in.” M called.

“Sir, James will be back in five hours.” Q commented.

“Did he find anything?”

“He found their base, but they cleared off weeks ago, no trail left behind. It was a dead-end, sir.”

“Fuck…” M sighed, rubbing his temples.

“M, Q has anything—” The door suddenly opened and Q turned to look at Tanner, just as the _bullet proof_ glass window in M’s office shatters, the bullet grazed Q’s neck and he instinctually dropped to the floor.

“Everyone down!” Q called out. Everyone hit the floor and Tanner made his way for Q.

“Are you alright?”

“He’s on the building across from us, three stories up, judging by the trajectory of the bullet.” Q commented, looking at the bullet in the wall, holding his wound.

“Q! Are you alright?”

“Sitrep, Q.” M demanded, managing to get around the desk.

“It’s just a graze, clipped my left carotid, I think, shouldn’t be fatal, but I should probably see medical soon, before I bleed out. I commend you for your timing, Tanner.” M moved and pulled off his jacket, pressing it against the bleeding side of Q’s neck.

“In fifteen seconds I want you on your feet and we’re getting out of this room and away from the windows, you hear?”

“Clear.” Q commented, grabbing a piece of the glass from the ground and slipping it into his pocket before the three of them ran out of the room, two bullets flying through the air and burying themselves in the wall behind them.

“How did they shoot through that glass?” Tanner demanded as they moved Q quickly for medical. Q pulled the shard of glass out of his pocket and smelt both sides of it as M kept pressure on his throat.

“Acid. They burned layer after layer of the glass off. Strategically weakening it.”

“Window washers?”

“Anyone could put the right chemical into the formula.” Q shrugged.

“Alright, Q, stop talking… Just relax, and keep your goddamn heart rate low.” M snapped.

“I’m fine.” Q promised, though, truth be told, he could tell he was losing too much blood. They burst into medical and Tanner pulled his gun out, pointing at the first doctor he saw.

“Put him back together. I’ll be fucking watching you, so don’t you do anything even remotely suspicious or I’ll put a bullet in your brain.” Tanner snapped. That was precisely the moment when Q nearly collapsed in M’s hold. The doctor moved instantly, calling out for help and helping M guide Q onto the nearest bed. M pulled out his gun as well as others flooded into the room, trying to stop Q from bleeding out. Tanner glanced at M briefly and their eyes met, obvious concern in their eyes. Who in the hell could they trust?

800Q8

“Q?” Tanner asked gently as Q scrunched his eyes closed tightly before blinking them, stirring away. “Hey, are you with us?”

“Stop talking so loudly and hand me my glasses before I fucking kill someone.”

“Good morning to you too, Q.” Tanner chuckled, grabbing the boffin’s glasses and putting them on his face. “Better?”

“Much.” Q nodded.

“How are you feeling?” Tanner wondered.

“Fine…my neck is a bit sore though.”

“Just a fucking graze. You’re lucky to be alive.” Tanner insisted. “You could have damn well died. But no, you were all about the trajectory of the bullet and the smell on the glass.”

“It was important.” Q protested. “I knew you’d be there for me.”

“Sure…” Tanner rolled his eyes.

“You scared us half to death and you ruined my jacket and shirt.” M commented. Q looked over slowly and saw that M’s shirt was indeed covered in blood.

“I’ll buy you a new one. Sorry about that.” Q commented. “By the way, when are you two going to go out?”

“What?” Tanner asked.

“You know, it’s quite obvious, looking at each other all the time, especially when you think the other isn’t looking. It’s all well and adorable, but very annoying and tension-y.”

“That’s the drugs talking.” M commented.

“Not so, drugs keep me honest, and I’m a genius, so I think you two should just—”

“I going to go change my shirt.” M commented before he left the room and headed for his office.

“Q…” Tanner glared at him as soon as M was gone.

“What? I know it’s a thing.”

“It’s not a thing.”

“It is for you…”

“Yes, but—”

“And did you see how quickly he ran out? It’s a thing for him too.” Q smiled.

“Shut up and quit letting the drugs talk.”

“The drugs can’t talk, Tanner. It’s just me.” A more chatty, less filtered version, but Q didn’t bother saying that.

“Go to sleep, Q.”

“It’s too much fun to see you blush.” Q smirked and turned his head away from Tanner, wincing at the pull on his neck.

“Serves you right.”

800Q8

M slowly made his way towards his office, cursing Q the whole way. Why was he so damn perceptive? He’d fire him if he didn’t need the kid so much…or if he didn’t find his company enjoyable. M made it too his office, glad to see that the metal shutters on the window had been closed, keeping his office hidden from view. He closed the door and undid the buttons on his shirt, reaching into a cupboard for another as he left the bloodied one on his desk. He pulled on the sleeves and started buttoning it up when the door opened.

“You could knock.” M stated.

“What in the hell happened here?” James demanded, looking around. His eyes met the shattered glass, the sealed window, the copious amount of blood on the ground, and the bloody shirt M had on his desk.

“Assassination attempt.”

“Oh God, is Q alright?” James asked, looking at the amount of blood in the room and knowing M wasn’t injured anywhere. Who else in MI6 would nearly be assassinated and in M’s office in the middle of the day aside from the double-o’s.

“He’s alright. They hit his neck—”

“Where is he?” James demanded.

“Medical, Tanner’s with him right now.” But James had already left the room in a hurry.

800Q8

“You look a bit pale, Tanner. I didn’t mean to tease you that badly.” Q commented.

“Donated a bit of blood today, actually.”

“Eww, I’ve got Bill Tanner germs, if I start making eyes at M please slap me…”

“Last time I ever donate blood to save your ass.” Tanner snapped teasingly.

“Sorry about that. You should drink orange juice. It might help. Why didn’t we just get some from storage?”

“Could be tampered with, didn’t want to test it, so we were lucky you and I have the same blood type.”

“Not lucky, A positive blood is the second most common blood type for people like us, not a big deal.”

“Alright smarty-pants.”

“Seriously, you should probably have something to drink and eat.”

“I’ll ask someone to bring something, I’m not leaving you in here alone, you just got shot at you idiot.”

“I’m a genius.” Q protested.

“Yes, well geniuses tend to be idiots in some categories.” Tanner shrugged.

“I am no—” The door was forced open and Tanner instantly had his gun trained on the man in the doorway, then he lowered his gun as the man closed the door behind him and walked right up to Q’s bedside.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“Hardly my fault you’re old.” Q jibbed. “And how was Korea?”

“Q this isn’t—” James took a deep breath to calm himself. “This isn’t a joke, Q.”

“I know…but it’s a lot better than what it could have been.” Q commented. “I have Tanner to thank for that. If he hadn’t have opened the door I wouldn’t have turned and…” Q took a deep breath, trying not to imagine Melanie parentless. Who would take care of her when he was gone? Would Jen and her mother? Would someone at MI6? Would she just end up another faceless orphan? God, he hated the very thought.

“There was a lot of blood on that floor.” It was a comment, it was a question.

“Carotid artery. The bullet nicked it and…I bled out a little bit.”

“Nicked it? They had to mend the whole bloody thing.” Tanner snapped.

“It’s better, isn’t it?” Q muttered. Tanner glanced nervously at the monitor that kept track of his heart rate, which happened to be slightly elevated. The doctors had said not to allow it to get too high, berating Q would hardly help. “You look like hell, Tanner… Go eat something and really do drink some orange juice, it will be good for you. James will look after me, right?”

“Of course.” James promised. Tanner nodded and slowly got up. “And warn everyone. Whoever comes in that door without calling first is getting shot, no questions asked.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less, Bond.” Tanner nodded, leaving the room. James sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran his fingers through Q’s hair.

“Are you really alright?”

“I’m okay… Doctors don’t want me doing anything to strain myself, or the artery so I’m sort of confined to bed, but aside from that, I’m alright.” Q smiled gently.

“You’re cold.” James said worriedly. Q had always been a little cooler than a normal human—because he was so tiny and, James suspected, he had an iron deficiency—but he’d never felt this cool.

“Still a tad shy on blood. Tanner could only give so much.”

“Why not get some from storage?”

“M’s afraid it might be tampered with, so we didn’t.” Q shrugged and winced at the movement.

“I could have lost you…” James whispered with a strange, pained look on his face before he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Q’s forehead, slowly peppering kisses across his face before pressing a gentle kiss to Q’s lips. Q squeezed his hand, reminding James that he was still alive and kicking—not literally of course. James smiled slightly and sat up. “Did they catch who shot you?”

“I don’t know, they’re not telling me anything, probably because they know I’ll get up and try to find him my own damn self.”

“Good point.” James chuckled, seemingly not realizing that his fingers were running through Q’s curls unconsciously. Q didn’t care, it felt nice (so nice he couldn’t help the small hum of pleasure that escaped him), although he hoped there wasn’t blood in his hair. “Were you a cat in your last life?”

“Hmm?” Q wondered.

“You’re practically purring, Q.” James teased.

“Shut up.”

“It’s adorable.”

“I’m on painkillers, nothing I say or do can be used against me.” Q commented.

“Whatever you say, darling.” James smiled, simply happy the man was still alive. There was a knock on the door and James looked towards it with his eyes narrowed. “Who is it?”

“M and Tanner.” M called out. James slowly got up and unlocked the door, gun in hand, letting the two of them in before locking the door again behind them. “You feeling alright, Q?”

“Been better, been worse. You look better, Bill. M get you orange juice?” Q smirked.

“Shut it, Q.” Tanner rolled his eyes, but smiled at Q nonetheless. Q winked at him.

“Can we stop the teasing?”

“Only when you two have a proper date.” Q smiled at M. James looked at Q and chuckled, the man wasn’t usually that open, especially not at work. The medicine he was on must make him very, painfully, honest.

“It’s none of your business—”

“It is too, it’s impossible to deal with the two of you.”

“Q…” James whispered in warning.

“Come on! Tell me you can’t see it, James, and I’ll let it go.”

“Well?” M asked.

“Yeah…they kind of…do have a lot of tension there, wasn’t going to mention it.”

“See? Told ya. Even the spy agrees with me. Though, I suppose he sort of has to, kind of the boyfriend. Actually, we never really said. You are my boyfriend aren’t you?”

“I’m whatever you want me to be, Q.” James smiled. Boyfriend, partner, friend, lover…maybe husband someday… It didn’t matter to James what they called it as long as _it_ was there.

“Mm, that’s nice.”

“Anyway, Bond, I’m putting Q’s care in your hands. At work we can mostly protect him—barring the incident today, but we’re working on that—but I don’t want him to be alone anywhere he goes. Home, store, work, hell the bathroom. I don’t want him alone.”

“Whoa, that’s a step too far. I can manage myself in a bathroom well enough, thank you.”

“But imagine sharing a shower.” James teased with a wink.

“Valid point, I’ll take that under consideration.” Q smiled. “Ooh, would that include—?”

“Q!” Tanner interrupted. “God, is there a mute button?”

“I was going to ask if he’d wash my hair…” Q pouted.

“Sure you were.” M rolled his eyes.

“Um, he probably was. His scalp is very sensitive. It’s a bit adorable.” James smiled.

“Anyway… Now that he’s been shot at there’s no reason to be secretive. I want you to be near him nearly at all times, however, you have to sleep at some point. I was wondering how you felt about 006?”

“Alec would be fine. I trust him. He’d keep a good eye on Q.”

“My thoughts precisely.” M nodded. “He’ll be here for a little while longer, to make sure he heals and is strong enough to run around again… Tanner or I will be down here in a few hours so you can sleep, but in the meantime watch over him.”

“You don’t have to tell me to do that.” James commented.

“I didn’t think so.” M nodded before he and Tanner left the two of them behind and walked through Medical in silence for a moment. “Tanner?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Dinner, tonight?” M offered hesitantly.

“I’m working a bit late tonight, actually…but I free tomorrow.”

“Sounds perfect.”

“We’ll get back at Q later, when he can take it.”

“Agreed.” M smiled before they both went their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	12. One and a Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellie turns one and Jen and Eve's conniving pays off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for baring with me. I am working on a lot right now. I'm a bit scatter-brained at the moment, but I suppose that's alright...mostly.  
> OH! Mentions of past trauma in this chapter, as well as a panic attack-ish in relation to them. Basically Q's fear of small spaces flares up a bit.

One and a Word

 

By nightfall, Q was exhausted, having tried to stay up and talk to James all day, inquiring about Korea and James himself, knowing James had been in a few tight spots—for him no less. James would have rather talked to Q about how he was feeling, but when he did Q brushed it off, but James wasn’t an idiot, he knew Q was falling apart. It wasn’t the bullet that had hurt Q, it was that one of his own, possibly even someone he considered a friend had turned against him, someone had betrayed him and he hadn’t even noticed. James understood better than anyone the sense of betrayal.

“Would it be too much if I asked you to cuddle with me?” Q asked when his eyes had started to droop.

“Not at all.” James smiled gently, lying next to Q and letting Q move until his head was against James’ chest. “You’re neck hurt at all?”

“No…you’re comfy.”

“Thanks for that.” James smiled, kissing the top of Q’s head and running his fingers through his curls. “Get some rest, my love.” James soothed gently, smiling at how quickly the man fell asleep in his arms. There was a knock on the door, a rhythm that James recognized as Morse code for Tanner. Regardless, James pointed his gun at the door when the electronic lock was undone by a passcode and Tanner stepped in.

“Just me.” Tanner promised, locking the door behind him. James slowly lowered his gun and continued to gently stroke Q’s hair. Tanner, surprisingly, didn’t make a comment about James and Q’s entanglement nor did he miss a beat. “Is he doing alright?”

“He should heal up fine.”

“That’s not what I meant, James.” Tanner commented.

“He won’t talk about it, but he’s stung. Any information?”

“Well, we found a brand-new chemical. It seems like someone is very good at chemistry on the enemy’s side—could be a Q-branch tech’s work, honestly. They’re always creating new things. Q was sure it was an acid but, it—apparently—is something else entirely. I don’t blame him for being wrong, he was half-dead at the time. I just listened to them babble; I’m not a chemist, I don’t get it.” Tanner sighed heavily. “R seemed impressed with it anyway.”

“Are you sure we can trust him?”

“I hope so.” Tanner sighed. “Who else do we turn to?”

“Anyone but who we have. There are people who owe us favors. People are in debt up to their eyeballs with Q, I’m sure someone would help if we asked.”

“But do we really want anyone to know how unstable we are?”

“True…” James sighed after a minute, still petting Q’s head.

“So…this is new.” Tanner commented.

“I suppose so.” James said, smiling fondly at Q.

“You seem happy.”

“I am.”

“Just no funny business with me in here.”

“It’s not like that and even if it was he’s hurt. I’m not a complete scoundrel, in spite of what my reputation as an agent reveals me to be. I’m a bit…different, especially with the one I love.”

“You love him?”

“With all my heart…so I suggest you keep me far away from whoever is trying to harm him unless you want them completely destroyed without any room for explanations…but I wish you luck in keeping me from hunting them down.”

“I just, supposed you two would…well, you know.”

“The job’s different. You know that. You were a double-o.”

“Only for a few years, and don’t you dare say a damn word to anyone else. I’m trusting you and Alec to keep that to yourselves.” Alec and James were the only double-o’s who were still alive to remember Bill as a double-o. He’d been a damn good one. “But yes, I understand.”

“You were a damn good shot.”

“Still am.” Tanner smirked. “Get some rest. I’ll watch out for both of you.”

“Don’t make noise.”

“I’m not an idiot and I don’t have a death wish, 007.” Tanner smiled before he remembered. “Do you trust Alec? Do you believe he’d hurt Q?”

“Honestly, I don’t think there’s a damn double-o who would ever want to hurt Q, even if they did turn against MI6. He’s broken laws and gone above and beyond to keep everyone safe, sane, and healthy. They all absolutely adore him. I think if any of them turned they’d kill everyone else and leave a box of chocolates on Q’s desk.” James chuckled. “I trust Alec with my life and Q’s.”

“Good, he’s babysitting tomorrow night.”

“Speaking of, how is Mels?”

“She’s fine, no activity near the flat according to Eve.”

“Good.”

“Go to sleep, 007.” Tanner smiled and watched the agent pull Q closer, falling asleep against the brown curls on the Quartermaster’s head.

800Q8

James woke up to something unpleasant: Tanner shaking him awake and Q not laying against his chest. “James, wake up, there’s something wrong with Q.” James instantly sat up and looked at Q. He was as pale as the white walls and his eyes were flickering around the room, eyes lingering on the door. The heart rate monitor was beeping quickly, a small alarm going off as his heart beat too quickly to be healthy.

“Has he said anything?”

“He said he could smell something, but I don’t—I can’t get through to him.” Tanner said, not understanding what had happened to Q. He woken up peacefully, and moved away from James to let him sleep, but then he looked around at the door and walls and fallen apart. James slowly moved closer to Q and put his hands on his cheeks.

“Q? Honey, look at me, look at me.” Q blinked and slowly looked at James. “There you go, sweetie. What’s wrong?”

“Didn’t realize how small it was in here…and I can’t get out…and…”

“And what, baby? What is it, my love?”

“I can smell her…it won’t go away. James, make it go away.” He was shaking, hysterical, broken. The room was too cramped for him, he hated small spaces, especially when he wasn’t able to leave them. It reminded him too much of the plane.

“Shh, look at me, honey. That door is only locked to keep bad people out, not to keep you in, alright? You’re here only until you’re healthy enough to go home. I’ll be taking you home soon, I promise. I promise.” James swore before he pulled Q against his chest, mindful of his neck. “What do you smell, love? Pay attention, tell me what you _really_ smell.”

“James, smell you, James.” Q whispered after a moment.

“All of it, Q. Tell me everything.”

“Gunpowder…mint and honey and spice and warmth and your cologne and your bloody old-fashioned shaving cream.”

“That’s better. You’re safe. I’m going to stay right here with you. You’ll be alright. We can move you to a bigger room if you want.”

“No…just stay with me.”

“I’ll never leave.” James promised, cuddling close to Q and not letting him go.

800Q8

Q was sent home the next morning, when everyone was quite sure that James would keep a good eye on him and keep him from doing anything too strenuous. Alec took Q home and James took a longer route, making sure no one followed them. As soon as they got to the flat Alec led Q upstairs and Q went to the door next to his, knocking in a strange pattern. The door instantly opened and Jen smiled at him, holding Ellie on her hip. “Thank fucking God.”

“DADA!” Ellie squealed, reaching out for him. Q stepped into the flat, Alec behind him, scooping up Melanie into his arms and holding her close.

“It’s alright, Ellie, I’m back, sweetie.”

“Dada, no ba-ba.”

“I’m not going to go bye-bye again, promise.” Q kissed her cheek lovingly and she planted an openmouthed, sloppy kiss against his cheek, her nose wrinkling slightly at the stubble on it. She lifted her hand and touched it, confused, before she decided it really didn’t matter and bumped her head against her father’s throat, snuggling close. Q let out a small groan in pain, still tender there. He slid her down so that she was snuggled against his chest and she looked up and him questioningly. “Daddy’s got an owie, not your fault angel.” Q soothed, kissing the top of her head. Alec had been told Q had a daughter, but it was a bit different to actually see it in person. Even Alec felt his heart warm a little. No wonder why James had gone so soft.

“You look like shit.” Eve commented.

“I’ve been better.” Q agreed.

“Don’t fucking get shot again.” Jen scolded. “Mels cried for hours because she couldn’t see her daddy. I’ll kill you myself if you upset her like that again.”

“Nice to see you too, Jen.” Q smiled. “And don’t curse in front of Melanie.” There was a knock at the door and Jen went to it, looking through the little peephole before opening it to James. “Hello, James.”

“Hi, Jen.” James smiled. “How’s my girl?”

“Sleepy. I think she’s decided I’m a good pillow.” Q chuckled.

“She hasn’t slept well.” Eve commented. “We even played the music like you said.”

“She’s used to seeing him every morning, she must have been worried.” Jen shrugged. “It’s good for her to sleep.”

“I just wanted to hold her again…” Q smiled pulling her closer. Eve smiled at the sight before turning to Alec and quietly updating him on the entire situation as quickly as she could. “Alright, tomorrow, remember what to do?” Q asked Jen.

“It’s all done already. I just have to put it up tomorrow morning.”

“That is why you’re my favorite.”

“I know. You’re place or mine?”

“Mine. She deserves to be at home for this.”

“For what? She can’t go to your flat. Q that would be very dangerous.” Alec stated.

“It’s her first birthday, it’s going to be at home. I’ll even make homemade cake and all the apple juice a girl could want.”

“Sounds brilliant.” Jen grinned.

“So…really, you’re a father?” Alec asked after a few moments.

“Yes, and?”

“It’s bit unexpected.”

“Yeah, well, life is that way sometimes, doesn’t mean it isn’t brilliant.” Q smiled, kissing the top of Melanie’s head gently, tenderly.

“Yeah…so…since Eve’s Melanie’s aunt and James is going out with you, can I be an uncle?”

“I’ll think about it.” Q said after a moment of contemplation.

“Come on, Q, you know you love me.” Alec grinned.

“Actually, I kinda don’t.”

“Be that way then…” Alec pouted, folding his arms over his chest with a sigh.

“Mr. Shaw, you should go home.” Jen commented.

“I just got here, I just got to hold her.”

“You get to see her all day tomorrow, but you can’t sleep over here, it’s not safe for her.” Eve added. Q sighed, holding Melanie closer for a moment before he kissed the top of her head and gently walked out of the room, putting her in the crib they’d set up for her.

“The things I do to keep you safe. It’s hell on us both kiddo.” Q sighed heavily before he pressed a tender kiss to the sleeping girl’s forehead. “Daddy loves you and I’ll see you bright and early, I promise. Just get some sleep for me, alright, my love?” He smiled gently before he left the room, making sure to turn on music softly before closing the door silently. “As soon as this damn ordeal is over she’s coming back home.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“Q you look pale, you should sit down.” James said worriedly, moving to his side.

“I’m fine. I’ll be here bright and early.”

“Good.” Jen smiled. “You’re rubbish without each other.”

“Okay, I might take that arm now.” Q commented, James wrapped an arm around his waist and held him close, keeping most of the weight off of Q’s feet.

“I’ve got you, time to go home.”

“Mmhm, home. Let’s go home. Take care of my baby.” Q ordered.

“Yes, sir.” Eve nodded.

“Oh, we’re just having a slumber party, you know us, painted toes and everything. Actually, all of my slumber parties thus far in my life have involved Mels and Eve… I had a rubbish childhood.” Jen rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Q, you need to lay down, and I’ll get you a cuppa.” James managed to get Q into his own flat and into the bedroom, gently helping Q into the bed. He was still a bit drained, having not only been shot and low on blood, but also fighting a minor infection. The whole ordeal left Q a little weak.

“I’m alright, I’m alright.”

“You look like hell, actually.” Alec commented from the doorway. “Do you really live in such a tiny flat? I mean, shouldn’t you have more?”

“Sorry I don’t own the Taj Mahal. I’m working on it.” Q rolled his eyes, Alec smiled at the dry tone.

“You alright?”

“Just tired, sorry.”

“No, don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Just rest.”

“You don’t make half the fuss when you’ve been shot.” Q frowned.

“That’s because I’m used to it, and I make a million times the fuss, though, mostly trying to escape medical. Relax, I’ll bring you tea and your medicine.”

“I can—”

“No, I’ve got it.” James said, getting up and walking out of the room. Alec followed him and sat down on a chair at the bar as James started tea.

“So, two windows, one door, I assume bullet proof?”

“Yes, but not a failsafe. Q’s bed is out of sight in the bedroom. No bullets getting in there, plus the curtains are closed in both rooms.”

“Alright, sounds straightforward to me.”

“I hope it stays that way, without further incident.”

“You’re in love….” Alec commented.

“And?”

“It’s just…I’ve never seen you like this before, not even with _her._ You…well, I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

“You know I’m going to tease the hell out of you, don’t you? I mean, _really_ , are you going to be married with kids?” James turned to find Q’s favorite mug and Alec pretended that he hadn’t heard James mutter: I hope so…someday.

800Q8

It took James hours to fall asleep, mostly because he was terrified that Q would thrash in his sleep and bleed out if he wasn’t there to watch him. But when he had finally realized that the man snuggled up against his chest wasn’t going to move he finally deemed it alright to sleep, still hearing Alec in the other room, watching over them. He didn’t wake up when Q did, though, in fact Q nearly made it to the door before James woke up. “Gabe?”

“Shh, go back to sleep. I’m alright.” James’ better judgment, like himself, was half-asleep and went back to sleep at Q’s gentle reassurance. Q smiled and walked out of his room, heading for the kitchen.

“Well aren’t you a sight in the mornings? And I thought your hair couldn’t get messier.”

“Shut up, 006, or I’ll send you out next time with nothing but a stapler.”

“A staple gun wouldn’t be too bad, you know.”

“No, a stapler that doesn’t fold out and no staples.” Q corrected before he began to go through the pots and pans, looking for a specific one.

“What are you up to?” Alec asked, sitting up at the small bar between the kitchen and the living room.

“Making a cake.”

“You can cook?” Alec asked, shocked.

“It is only chemistry, Alec, do you think there is a branch of science I can’t manage?” Q chuckled.

“Well, I just imagined you to live off of tea and pot noodles.”

“Only when I have to watch you fuck everything up in the field, because then I can’t come home.” Q chuckled. He grabbed the counter for a moment, standing still, and taking a breath.

“Alright?”

“Just dizzy, I’m fine.” Q commented before he started moving again.

“James would kill me if he knew I let you walk around dizzy, you know.” Alec sighed. “But you’d destroy me if I told on you and, quite honestly James would kill me faster, so…I’m going to keep my mouth shut.”

“I knew I thought that there was a shred of wisdom somewhere in your brain.”

“I try…” Alec smiled as Q began to measure out ingredients. “So, I didn’t know you had a daughter. Did your wife die?”

“My twin and his wife died. I was all Melanie had left.” Q replied.

“Twin, that makes sense. She’s adorable.”

“She’s my angel.” Alec smiled at that before looking at his hands as Q worked throughout the kitchen, multi-tasking, as always.

“You know…James loves you.”

“I’m well aware, Alec. I knew from the beginning.”

“Do you love him?”

“It’s been less than a month, Alec, and I have about as many trust issues as he does, I’m afraid.”

“But…?”

“I think so, but he doesn’t want a peep out of me until I’m sure, and I both understand and respect that.”

“If you hurt him, I’ll kill you.”

“I’m sure you would, but I hope not to.”

“Well, now that that’s out of the way, how’s it going?”

“Fine.” Q chuckled. “More than fine, perfect. I didn’t even know he had a soft spot for kids.”

“I think we all do…MI6 personnel in general. Even M had a soft spot for them. I think it’s because we’re all so messed up and kids have a chance to turn out right. It gets right at our protectiveness to be around children.”

“Suppose that makes some sense.” Q smiled, turning on a mixer before moving to a cupboard and pulling down a plate before filling it and setting it in front of Alec.

“I didn’t even notice you were making breakfast.”

“I’m used to multitasking.” Q shrugged. “Believe it or not I don’t just sit around and cater to double-os all day.” Alec took a bite before looking up at Q.

“Don’t marry James, marry me, please. I love you.”

“Sorry, not going to happen.”

“You traitor.” James snapped from the doorway.

“Sorry, James, but God he can cook.” Alec said as James made his way into the kitchen.

“Need anything?”

“I’m alright.” Q promised, handing a second plate to James.

“You should eat as well.”

“I’m alright, I promise. And try this for me.” Q commented, handing him a spatula covered in a chocolaty batter.

“I didn’t get cake batter.” Alec complained.

“I’m the favorite.” James smirked triumphantly before taking a taste. “Definitely the favorite. That’s perfection, Q.” James kissed him gently.

“Thanks.” Q smiled shyly, blushing slightly. Alec let out a chuckle and Q shot a glare at him. “Go eat, I’m fine. Just going to put the cake in the oven and then I’ll eat.”

“Alright.” James smiled at him before sitting down next to Alec.

“тыбезнадеженивзбитыми.”

“I know.” James shrugged and smiled slightly.

“I understand Russian, Alec.” Q commented.

“ебать.” Alec cursed. “Anything else I should know?”

“I am fluent in Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, French, Italian, Arabic, Swahili, German, Morse code, and all of the computer languages you can think of. Please refrain from cursing in front of my daughter, I don’t want her picking up any nasty words. She’s just a baby.”

“I didn’t know that.” James commented.

“Вы узнаете то новое каждый день.” Q replied with a shrug.

“Why are you fluent?”

“I was a bit paranoid after a certain age—well, I’ve always been paranoid, but that’s another story. When you have the skill sets I do, it’s best to be able to blend in and disappear at a moment’s notice. Learning all of those languages gave me the chance to run if I ever had to. Plus, it comes in handy at MI6.”

“I’ve never heard you speak like that before.” Alec commented.

“Again, it’s not my job to cater to you double-o’s all day.” Q said, leaning against the counter as he began to eat his own breakfast. “I do many other things without you around, and sometimes while I’m working with you guys.”

“Color me impressed.” Alec smiled. “He can cook, translate, build toys, and destroy anyone in the world. He’s a keeper.”

“Glad to have your approval, Alec.”

“You officially have competition, James.”

“Get in line.” Q commented. “I’ve been turning down people of both genders at MI6 since I arrived. The women still don’t understand what gay means, but that’s beside the point.”

“I haven’t seen—” James protested.

“Some are a bit more subtle than you, James… Since you’re going to be my bodyguard, I guarantee you’ll want to punch people by the end of the first day—if not kill, depending on how jealous you’re feeling.”

“Torture first, kill later, always Q.” James smiled, getting up and putting his and Alec’s plates in the sink before wrapping his arms around Q from behind and kissing his cheek. “Thank you, darling.” Q smiled and relaxed into James’ arms, momentarily forgetting that Alec was even there, watching them. James gently ran his fingers through Q’s hair and the younger man practically melted in his arms. “I’ll go get the medicine for you.”

“Ugh, those damn pills are the size of horse pills.”

“You still need to get better, don’t want to be sick for Mels.”

“But she can’t catch it, and if I’m sick I get to stay home.”

“But if you don’t get back to work we won’t find the threat and she’ll be in danger.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.” James smiled.

800Q8

“Good morning, sunshine.” Q whispered gently. “Wake up sleepy. Ellie. Mellie, Ellie, Ellie.” He called, gently poking at her belly. She yawned and opened her eyes, blinking a few times before ginning and kicking her feet. “Hi baby.” Q grinned, waving at her. She waved back and held her arms up to him. “Come here, sweetie.” He grinned, pulling her up into his arms. Ellie pressed a kiss to his cheek and smiled. “I shaved just for you, I don’t think you liked my beard much, did you?” Q chuckled.

“Dada…” She sighed, snuggling close.

“Did you know it’s your birthday? You’re one whole year old! We have a party for you and everything. Even cake. You’ll love it.” He grinned, holding her close. “We’ll get you all prettied up first, alright? Then we get to go home and open presents and eat sweets and apple juice.”

“App!”

“Yup, you even get apple juice, aren’t you a lucky girl?”

800Q8

“James, can you get the other side?” Jen asked. Alec scoffed at his friend when he instantly went to help the young woman with the banner that didn’t look homemade, even though it obviously was, based on how customized it was. “Don’t scoff at him, he’s smarter than you are. If you were smart you would have already handed me the tape. Now I’ll be forced to poison your brandy.” Alec shot a look at James, disbelieving.

“I’d listen to her. She’s scary.”

“She sounds like Q.”

“He half-raised me, it’s bound to rub off. Tape? Теперь.” Jen demanded, holding out her hand. Alec instantly grabbed it and tore off a strip.

“Does everyone here speak Russian?”

“I’m a singer, you pick some things up.” Jen smiled, taping the banner up perfectly.

“This is just too much.” Eve chuckled, looking up at them. “She’s got you doing everything she tells you to.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to die. I’ve learned my lesson.” James shrugged.

“She’s a powerful young lady, tread lightly.” Eve agreed, looking at the cake on the table with wide eyes.

“Don’t touch it.”

“It’s a tiger. Who in the hell did that?”

“Mr. Shaw.” Jen answered.

“Well, he never told me he could decorate cakes.”

“He can do anything apparently.” Alec retorted.

“Be nice.” Eve scolded. “But yes, he can do most things, he’s a genius.”

“Alright, perfect.” Jen smiled, getting down from her chair and looking at Eve with a smirk. “Maybe today?”

“Possibly.” Eve chuckled. The two agents couldn’t help but think that the laugh was a little bit conniving. The door started to open and both agents moved to grab their guns.

“Idiots, alarms would sound if it weren’t Mr. Shaw.” Jen rolled her eyes as Q stepped into the room, carrying Ellie on in his arms. She nearly looked like Cinderella, dressed in a fine, pale blue. Jen snapped a picture of them. “Hi, Ellie. Happy birthday.” Jen called. Ellie waved to Jen.

“Je!” She called with a giggle, kicking her feet.

“What about Auntie Eve?”

“Eveeee.”

“Close enough, I think I’ll change my name actually. I like it.” Eve grinned.

“She’ll get it eventually, no need to go through all of the paperwork, Eve.” Q chuckled, kissing the top of Melanie’s head. That’s when Melanie saw him.

“Pahpuh.” Ellie beamed at James, showing off all the teeth she had and clapping her hands excitedly. James looked confused, Q looked right at Jen.

“Isn’t she the smartest cutest little thing you’ve ever seen?” Jen cooed. Then she sighed. “Eve helped.”

“Jen!”

“Well you did.”

“It’s official, you have to get married.” Eve nodded in agreement. James was worried about how Q would feel, but he saw Q smile and shake his head, muttering something about women under his breath. Ellie squirmed in Q’s arms, reaching for James.

“Traitor, I thought you liked me best.” Q sighed before walking forward, handing over his daughter gently. Jen snapped far too many pictures.

“I didn’t say anything.” James whispered.

“I know… I’ll get them back, trust me.”

“Pahpuh.” Ellie giggled, pressing a kiss to James’ neck, snuggling close.

“Awwwwwww.” Jen sighed. Eve squealed. Alec pretended to gag.

Q was trapped between thinking it terribly cute and being furious at Eve and Jen…the James pressed a kiss to Ellie’s head.

“Happy birthday, princess.”

Q nearly melted into a puddle of warm goo. The fury could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	13. An Interesting Take on the Lion King and I Love You(s)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long guys. I get side-tracked easily. Doesn't mean I won't finish things, it just means it takes a little longer than it should... Sorry?  
> Here's some cuteness to make up for that.

An Interesting Take on the Lion King and I Love You(s)

 

Q had escorted everyone out of the flat later in the afternoon, even Alec had left—not too far, but enough to give Q, James, and Ellie some time alone. When Jen had left Q had raised a single eyebrow at her, a silent warning that she’d started a war. Her lips twitched into a slight smirk, as if to say _bring it on._ Q rolled his eyes and closed the door. “She’s a bad influence.”

“Jen? You’ll get her back.”

“I could always report her for the murder of her father…but then again he deserved to die.” Q sighed, sitting down next to James.

“So that isn’t a joke?” James asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No, she killed him. I only left it ambiguous because M was there. I know she killed him. Her mother doesn’t know, but it’s a bit obvious, looking at the facts.” Q shrugged. “She doesn’t like to talk about it, but she doesn’t regret it either. I don’t blame her, her father was nearly as bad as mine was. Jen just stood up to her father sooner than we did.”

“Wow… She doesn’t look like the type.”

“She’s very good at hiding what she is.” Q nodded. “It…took me a while to figure her out. I love her all the more for it.”

“How old was she?”

“Eight…she got sick of him hitting her mother and her. Then, he ‘accidently’ ate a peanut at dinner and all of his EpiPens just _happened_ to be at work.” Q shrugged. “I looked into the case. It was highly suspect. Then there was the fact that she was alone and only called the ambulance after he’d died. She’s clever and not someone I’d ever want to piss off.”

“Wow.” James sighed, shaking his head. Ellie pushed herself up from her corner, dragging Ti with her as she toddled to the edge of the couch, bouncing up and down slightly, looking up at her daddy.

“Up?”

“Come here, darling.” Q smiled, pulling his little girl up into his arms, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled against his chest. “Happy birthday, love.”

“Oh, I forgot.” James commented, getting up and grabbing a remote. “I got you and Mels something.”

“James, what are you doing?”

“You’ll both appreciate this.” James promised, turning on the TV and sitting back down on the sofa, remote in hand. “Get comfy.” Q looked at James, confused before he nudged James slightly, so he was laying on his back against the sofa. Q lay his back against the man and rested his head under James’ chin, keeping Ellie curled up against his chest.

“You okay?”

“Prefect.” James promised, kissing the top of Q’s head before pressing a button and wrapping his arms around Q and Ellie, holding them both close. “You’re neck alright?”

“I’m alright.” Q promised as commercials began to play, something about Fast Play. “What did you get?”

“I heard you never seen this one…and I thought you’d like it, plus, Ellie will be ecstatic.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a surprise. And your life is a travesty to have never seen this movie.” James smiled. “Sh, it’s starting.”

“ _Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba_.” Instantly Ellie was staring at the bright colors of an animated sunrise in awe.

“The Lion King, you got us the Lion King.” Q smiled.

“Of course I did. I can’t believe you’ve never seen it.”

“She’ll adore it I imagine.”

“I think you’ll like it too.”

“Thank you.” Q smiled, pressing a kiss to James’ chest and relaxing against him, their legs tangled as they all lay together watching the movie.

“Ti!” Melanie giggled, pointing to the lion cub on the screen.

“It’s a lion, honey.” Q corrected gently. “It isn’t a tiger, tigers have stripes.”

“Ti.” She insisted.

“Lion.” Q teased, tickling her side.

“Tiga.”

“If you insist… Perhaps I can do a mass edit of all of the information in the world on cats and make them all tigers for you.” Q smiled.

“That’s an interesting take on the Lion King, suddenly they’re all tigers.” James chuckled.

“They have to be, for her.”

“Mm.” James agreed in a hum, holding Q close to him.

“Pahpuh! See tiga?”

“Yes I do.” James said with a warm smile, looking at her over Q’s head. “I see two tigers. Do you see them both? That one’s mean, don’t you think? I think he may be a bit bad.”

“Bad?” Ellie asked with a frown, not knowing what she’d done wrong.

“Oh, honey, not you… The tiger. You’re a princess, you could never be bad.” He smiled, tickling her side. She giggled happily and curled closer to both of them.

“God I love you.” Q sighed. James froze under Q and Q stopped moving as well, realizing what he’d said. He slowly lifted his head and smiled at James. “I _do_ love you.” He promised, James smiled broadly, his eyes wrinkling slightly in the corners. James leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Q’s lips, mindful of Ellie who still clung to her father’s chest. James smiled and pressed their foreheads together.

“Should have bought you the Lion King sooner.” Q burst out into giggles and James held both Ellie and Q close to him.

James had never known that he had wanted a family, that he could even function within one, but he’d never felt anything so right, so perfect.

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

James wanted to chuckle. The only difference was that there had been no loss in numbers. Q and Ellie weren’t just two…there were three of them now.

Q and Ellie fell asleep before the movie ended. James made a mental note to make sure Q finished it one day. He kissed the top of Q’s head an hour after the DVD had started looping through the main menu. “Sweetheart? Love?”

“Mmm…?”

“Time to get up, Mels needs to be put in bed.”

“Don’t want her to leave… Want her to stay.” Q murmured.

“I’ll have Alec bring her crib.”

“That will be a sight.” Q sighed, half-amusedly, but mostly tiredly. James sent the text and let Q nap lightly against him. The door opened and Eve Alec managed to put the piece of furniture through the doorway and into the back office before he caught sight of the three of them.

“How sweet.” Alec teased. “Pictures or it didn’t happen.” He said reaching for his phone.

“I’ll send you out with a water gun.” Q warned without opening his eyes. “I’ll then send Jen after you and she’ll kill you.”

“Fine… Eve just told me to warn you, it’s just for tonight.”

“I know…” Q sighed before slowly sitting up, trying not to put all of his weight on James in any one spot and still hold onto Ellie without waking her. Alec had to admit it was pretty badass how Q could manage so much at once. Alec was afraid he’d drop the poor girl if he held her.

“I’ll mind the fort.” Alec commented.

“Thank you.” Q smiled, walking by him. James smiled slightly and followed Q. “You don’t have to stand there, you know.” Q commented as he got Ellie around for bed.

“I’ll wake her up.” James whispered.

“She’ll wake up anyway. She’s not fussy though, she’s a calm baby.” Q shrugged, slowly putting her down in her bed. James moved forwards slowly and grabbed the soft onesie that Eve had, no doubt, placed in the crib for her—Alec wouldn’t have that forethought. Q gingerly worked the dress off of Ellie’s small body. It shouldn’t have surprised James, how tender Q could be, but it did every time, despite seeing him work with fragile equipment, and Melanie. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked blearily up at her father, almost looking put-out with him for waking her up. “I know, Ellie, I’m sorry, but you get to go right back to sleep, promise.” He smiled as he managed to pull off her dress. “Can’t have you sleeping with frosting on your dress can we?” Q asked gently. “Go ahead.” Q offered to James.

“What?”

“She won’t fuss, honestly it’s best you try now, when she’s half-asleep. She won’t squirm too much now.” Q nodded, moving over slightly. Q was more than a bit proud of James when he started to help Ellie into the onesie, albeit tentatively. When James had first met Melanie he’d always been a bit afraid of hurting her. He’d hold her and carry her, but Q had always noticed he felt a bit tense in doing so, as if he was afraid his calloused hands could break her at a single touch. She only kicked once in mild protest at having something placed on her feet before relenting. Q smiled and managed one arm while James got the other into the proper sleeve, pulling up the zip gently. “See? Not so difficult.”

“Not when she doesn’t fuss.”

“True.” Q conceded, covering her in her blanket and putting Ti within reach. “Sleep well, angel, happy birthday.” He smiled and kissed her head, he turned his head slightly and she placed a sloppy-half-asleep kiss to his cheek. “Love you.” He grinned turning to put on some music for her.

“Goodnight, princess.” James smiled kissing her cheek. To his surprise she twisted and pressed a kiss to his chin—that being the only part of him she could reach—before closing her eyes and falling back asleep.

“Don’t act so surprised. She loves you and she’s not the only one.” Q smiled gently. James wrapped an arm around Q as they left the room, shutting the lights off. It occurred to James as they walked down the short hallway that Q was still injured.

“Did you take—?”

“Yes, James, I didn’t forget. Don’t be such a worrier.” Q chuckled.

“I thought it was endearing.”

“A little bit.” Q agreed, kissing the agent’s worry away as they entered the room, closing the door behind them. James worked Q’s shirt off, kissing him with mounting passion, Q returning with just as much.

“No stress, doctor’s orders.”

“Fuck doctor’s orders… Want you.” Q sighed, kissing him again, trying to stop any further protests.

“I’m not going to have you rip something and bleed out because you’re horny, Q.”

“How could I bleed out with all of my blood somewhere else?”

“Not sure that will save you, Q.” James chuckled, peppering kisses along the uninjured side of Q’s neck.

“But—”

“When you’re better, promise.” James soothed.

“You can do the work.”

“What and have you lay back and think of England?”

“If I have to think of England, the rumors about you are seriously exaggerated.”

“Oh, trust me, they aren’t.”

“I’ll judge that.” Q grinned, pulling James into another kiss, undoing his shirt.

“Mm, when you’re better.” James said, gathering Q’s hands in one of his.

“You’re no fun.”

“And you’re exhausted. Come on, time for sleep, Gabe.” James commented, leading Q to bed and curling them both together under the covers. Q pulled himself closer, adjusting himself so that his neck felt no strain.

“Love you.”

“Love you, sweetheart.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	14. It's Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, shit, sorry about that guys and thank you for those who caught it. I thought I was ahead of the game posting stuff...  
> I knew something wasn't right...but then again it was really early in the morning.  
> How about this?  
> Also, there's something for you guys to look at in the end notes, because I worked on it all yesterday for this chapter...  
> Again, sorry for my idiot moment.

It’s Perfect

 

It was only a week later when Alec was sent into North Korea instead of James, Q was allowed back to work, as long as James escorted him—which meant James was sort of living at Q’s for the time, which James enjoyed every moment of it. It was good, normal…something he hadn’t had since his parents died. There were ups and downs, but the ups outnumbered the downs—vastly. The biggest downside was trying to get around in the mornings, the flat was tiny.

“James, can you grab Ellie?” Q asked from the kitchen.

“I’ve got her.” James promised, making his way into the office/nursery. “Hey…princess?” James asked, gently running his hand over her messy head of dark curls. Ellie slowly woke with a yawn, blinking blue eyes at him. “Good morning, sunshine. Should we get you all dressed up for your day with Jen, then?” James asked slowly picking her up. She leaned against his shoulder and grabbed on to his shirt. “You’re tired this morning, aren’t you?”

“Papah…” James’ heart warmed. It wasn’t anything he encouraged, it wasn’t his place, but it didn’t mean he didn’t absolutely find it adorable that she called him Papa. It was terrifying, absolutely terrifying. It was a word children said to those meant to take care of them and protect them, someone that the counted on for everything, and that was damn terrifying…but adorable and sweet.

“I don’t know as though you’re daddy wants you calling me that, you know…” James said as he started to pull her out of her onesie. Her eyes opened wide at the mention of her dad.

“Dada?” She asked he changed her.

“He’s getting food around for you, Mels, you’ll see him soon.” James promised, trying to get her fidgeting arms into her dress. “You don’t squirm this much for your dad, we’re going to have to work on this, princess.” James teased. “Alright…look at you all princess-y again.” James smiled, picking her up and carrying her. “Let’s go see your daddy, okay?” He smiled, carrying her out into the kitchen.

“Dada.”

“There are my two favorite people in the world.” Q smiled.

“Dada.” Q kissed her cheek and pulled her into his arms.

“Hello, beautiful. Banana’s for breakfast?” He asked with a smile. “James, I made pancakes if you want some.”

“Thanks, Gabe.” James smiled, kissing his cheek before moving to make himself and Q a plate.

“Are you going to eat on your own today?” Q asked and Ellie answered by picking up a slice of banana from her plate.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks, James.” Q smiled.

800Q8

Q looked at his phone when it went off and scrolled through it slowly, a wide smile filling his face. He ran across the room and grabbed his coat, walking out of his office. “Minions, you can hold down the fort for a while can’t you.”

“Of course, Overlord.” One of them nodded at him.

“Q, I made you tea—”

“Forget the tea—wait.” Q took the mug from James and took a deep sip. “Ah…you’re getting much better at making tea.” He set the mug down. “Since you’re my body guard, you should come with me.”

“Okay…um, where are we going?”

“This address. Come on.”

800Q8

“Right here.”

“Q…what’s here?” James asked worriedly, coming to a stop in front of the duplex Q had pointed to. It was brick and overrun by its garden and yard. Q was already out of the car though. “Q.” James got out and followed him up to the house. It was a decent size, considering that there was once two living spaces inside. “Q…?”

“This could be good…” Q smiled. “Come on.” He grabbed James’ hand and led him through the wrought-iron fence.

“What are we doing here?” James wondered.

“Someone owes me a favor…and their mother used to rent this place out. She died a year back and they haven’t done anything to this place yet. She hadn’t rented it out in a while. He said he’d lower the price if I wanted to buy it from him.” Q said eagerly. “He said he’d leave the key—oh! Found it.”

“What did you do?” James asked as Q pulled a key out of the top mailbox and turned it in the door.

“While I was in uni with Ben, we helped one of our fellow student’s through a…um…few rough patches…and got his parents out of serving time… He promised he’d pay me back one day…so he said if I want it he’ll give it to me dirt cheap. We did bail him out of a lot of shit.”

“How much shit?” James wondered.

“Millions of dollars and jail time shit, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to afford anything like this.” Q said, pushing open the door. James’ first thought when they stepped in was worried about whether or not Q would fall through the floor or not.

“Q…?”

“Sh, don’t say anything.” Q said, opening up all of the doors and looking through the whole first floor. The duplex had been ransacked and the walls had been stripped of all wires. James was worried someone might be inside. He followed after Q, his hand on his gun, but Q came back a moment later a huge smile on his face. “My God…I love it.”

“You love it?” James asked, looking at the place and cringing slightly.

“Don’t knock my house. Don’t you see it?”

“See the wood rotting under our feet?” James asked.

“No, no, no. Really, _look_ at it.” Q said, an adorable glow filling his whole face. James didn’t see Q like that unless he was at home or creating a new gadget. Q grabbed James hand and dragged him around the first floor as he spoke. “Okay, imagine the door moved over here and this wall taken out. Instead of this kitchen area imagine an office. The walls will be a neutral color…maybe a grey-blue. Then over here—” Q dragged him back into the entrance. “There will be a wall right here, with a different color, a bright one. Then through here will be the stairs and an open concept.”

“Then why is there a random wall?” James asked.

“Support. I did the calculations and the room that’s going to be above the new entryway will need something under it. Then right here will be the family room—with a little play area here, maybe a box of toys under the stairs—all the walls can come down here and instead of three rooms it will be one big room, the dining area will be here, and here’s the kitchen. Then behind the stairs will be the bathroom here… Then back here will be the laundry room and the way into the backyard so mud can’t be tracked in.” Q somehow managed to be saying all of it without breathing. He was just so excited. James found it absolutely adorable.

“What about this space here?” James asked about the space between the not-there bathroom and the laundry room. Q raised an eyebrow at him, as if asking if he was serious.

“James, you never renovate a house without putting in a panic room.”

“Panic room?”

“I’m paranoid and an MI6 agent. I was just shot, give me a break.” Q said before pulling James through the house again. “Maybe an archway between the dining area and kitchen, just to add a little something…” He smiled, racing up the stairs. There were six rooms, three on each side. “Oh, brilliant! I can take out the floor in this section here, so the living room has a high ceiling…. Then this room can be expanded a bit, it could be Melanie’s room, with windows out to the garden, or a guest bedroom. Then right here a master with a closet. Then another bedroom here…maybe that would actually be Ellie’s it would probably be a little bigger… Then there would be this space over the entry way can be a bathroom, a larger one. With a big tub and a shower—and two sinks because girls always fuss about that right? Got to think about Melanie, she’s going to get older someday…those things are going to be something I need to consider… But look out the window, there could be a garden back there…maybe a small waterfall for Ellie to look out at. She would love that…and her walls could be lilac…just like I promised her. I could give her something beautiful…” Q smiled, looking out the window. James wrapped his arms around Q’s waist and pulled him back against his chest.

“I can see it now…it will be perfect.” James promised. If Q fixed up a house like he built equipment he knew it would be beautiful. “Mels will love it.”

“I hope so… I’ll have a lot of work to do…”

“I can help.”

“You would, wouldn’t you?” Q chuckled. “I bet you’d love doing demolition.”

“Do I get to use explosives?”

“I can give you small ones, but only if I place them properly before you blow them.”

“Is that a promise?”

“It is.” Q chuckled. He pulled out his phone and pressed a single button, relaxing into James’ arms. “This is Gabriel Shaw for Charles Kane.” James’ eyes widened. The man was the son of billionaires.

“What kind of friends did you make in Uni?” Q winked at him over his shoulder.

“Hello, Charlie… I love it…” Q smiled and then his eyes widened. “Are you sure? That’s generous, very generous. Well, yes he did—how did you hear about that? … Um…yes, I do, she’s a year old. Charlie…that’s extremely kind of you. Yes…well…I did…but… Yes. Thank you. Yes, and if your parents fuck it up again… Yes, I can help you if that happens again.” Did James detect flirtation in Q’s voice? “Thank you, so much, Charlie. Yes, you can send them however. It’s best we don’t meet in person right now… No I’m not in trouble…well, not illegal trouble—quite the opposite… Oh—stop digging, it’s classified. Haha… Thank you so much, old friend. I will… Goodbye.”

“Were you just flirting?”

“Never hurts to flirt a little bit, especially since he had a thing for me.”

“He had good taste.” James chuckled, kissing Q’s neck.

“He’s giving it to me, practically. I mean rent for a year at my flat is about what this costs… I mean… It gives me all the money I need to renovate…” Q grinned. “I need to innovate a security system for this place.”

“It will be wonderful. How exactly to you bail him out?”

“His parents committed fraud, I took the evidence away…” James raised an eyebrow at him. “What, he was the only person at Cambridge who accepted Ben and I. No one liked the two poor kids there… We just got in on scholarships and he was the only one who wasn’t snooty with us…didn’t ask us where we came from either. He was kind to us.”

“And he liked you.”

“Oh yes… Ben was obviously straight and well, I’m not… He liked me a lot. Didn’t really go in for sleeping around…so it was never more than friendship…but he always had a bit of a crush on me. Always good to use a bit of flirtation during business dealings.” Q shrugged.

“You’ll make me jealous.”

“Are you a possessive sort?”

“Very.” James promised, nibbling at Q’s ear lobe.

“Maybe I should make you jealous more often. Does it guarantee rough passionate sex?”

“Probably. I wouldn’t know…never had someone I cared about this much.”

“We’ll have to test it.” Q chuckled.

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Could be fun though.” Q giggled. James couldn’t help it but smile, Q had a cute laugh, but his giggle was even more adorable.

“Do you get jealous?”

“I suppose I do, but in little ways.” Q shrugged, turning and wrapping his arms around James. “More protective than anything else, I suppose.”

“Hmm… I’ve noticed that.”

“I should get back to work…they can implode without me there sometimes.”

“There’s nothing going on.”

“You’ve never seen the minions when they have free time. It’s a disaster. It’s like having forty kids.”

“You like kids.”

“Yes, I do. I love kids. That being said forty is too many. I didn’t sign up to be a teacher… I don’t like kids _that_ much.” Q chuckled. “I’ll finally have a home for Melanie…” He sighed happily. James couldn’t help but smile with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a layout thingy for how the house will look after Q's done with it. It's not perfect and the furniture doesn't all match, but you'll get the idea. There are two floors and the empty space on the first floor is where the panic room is. You'll hear more about all that later. If the link doesn't work, yell at me, I'll figure it out.  
> http://www.homestyler.com/designprofile/1ed867af-1bae-4d5d-ad0d-291e5edf5c4e
> 
> Happy Holidays.


	15. Good News and Bad News and the Woman in the Bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for all of you. :)  
> The next chapter will freak you out in the beginning, stay with me and don't freak out too much-read it through first before throwing rotten vegetables at me.

Good News and Bad News and the Woman in the Bar

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be debriefing with M, 006?” Q asked, not looking up from his computer. He could tell which double-o it was by his stride, he didn’t have to look up.

“I thought it best to come talk to you first.” Alec said, sitting on the sofa and laying back.

“If you get blood on that you’re cleaning it.”

“I found them.”

“So I heard.” Q nodded.

“I have some good news and some bad news about that.”

“Okay…” Q said, turning to look at the man. He was bloody, but it looked to be confined to his hands and shirt.

“Well, I found the man who shot you, matched up the gun and everything, you’ll have that delivered here shortly.”

“Well, that’s good news.”

“And more good news, I got rid of the people he was working for. The um…problem comes with the torture part.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I wanted to find out how they knew who you were, let alone what you were and what you were doing… I worked them over well.”

“I know your methods.” Q said, not needing the details, he saw it often enough himself—from all of the double-os.

“They didn’t find out about you. Someone _told_ them about you.”

“I knew there was someone working on the inside.” Q commented. 

“Well, yeah, had to be, they were a lousy excuse to a terrorist group, they didn’t even have a proper pet hacker—no offense to your hacker friends.”

“None taken.” Q nodded.

“But it’s someone who knows you who told them, because they didn’t have the stuff to find you themselves.”

“Who?” Q wondered. Had Alec found out who it was?

“They didn’t know, it was pretty much an anonymous tip.” Alec sighed. “I took my time and nothing… That means someone who knows you squealed on purpose, and covered their damn tracks like no other. Have anyone with a grudge against you?”

“Not that I know of.” Q shrugged, thinking.

“Are you sure? Because I know someone who knows you must have snitched on you. Someone who can hack you or someone with enough clearance to know what you’re doing.”

“I keep track of the hackers who are good enough to get through… Two of them work for our allies and Silva’s dead so there are very few of them that would actually have the bullocks to go against me, not intending to overconfident…” Q’s eyes widened under his glasses. “Oh…R.”

“What?”

“R…he might have a grudge against me.”

“Why?”

“I’m Q, I was just a tech before. I had only five years in Q-Branch, before then I was a junior agent—”

“Wait, you were an agent?”

“A junior one, nothing special. I was more the recon and assassination type… The sort who sat behind a sniper rifle and waited, not the type to chase after targets. Q noticed my hacking skills and begged M to let me work in Q-Branch. So I moved…didn’t much like killing people in person anyway… Anyway, when Q died, M called me first. She wanted me to take Q’s place…not R. R was…upset, but tried not to show it to me. He’d been here fifteen years… He’d be one of the only people who’d have enough clearance to see what I’m doing and understand the implications…no offense.”

“None taken, I’m not a techie.”

“Did you just call me a techie?”

“You kind of are, boffin.” Alec shrugged.

“Maybe a little.” Q conceded. “I’ll watch him. If it’s him, he’ll make mistakes and I’ll be able to see who he’s contacting.”

“Q… That’s dangerous. You have a family, Ellie.”

“I know…but we can get so much more if we study him than just take him in now.”

“Does he know about Ellie?”

“No, he doesn’t.” Q said. “Only Eve, Tanner, you, M, Jen, and 007 know about her.”

“Well, that’s good, let’s keep it that way… Don’t take anything from him, don’t ever allow yourself to be alone with him, keep away from windows, always have a double-o with you. We can lie in the official report to make R feel safe, but you need to be careful.”

“I will be, I promised Ellie I’d always come home, I’m not letting her go without another parent.” Q insisted in a stern voice.

“We won’t let her. Besides, you’ve got to be around to babysit the double-os.”

“So you admit to being children?”

“Of course.” Alec grinned. “I live to be childish and ruin everyone else’s day.”

“My one-year-old is more behaved than you are.”

“I’ll teach her my ways.” Alec chuckled. “So…who’s telling James?”

“I will. He won’t take it well... I’ll start looking for signs of betrayal. Thank you for coming to me about this.”

“We always come here first anyway.”

“Why is that?”

“We trust you… You’re safe.”

“Did you bring back my equipment?”

“Ha, funny, Q. Oh, don’t glare at me, I brought other presents… I’ll send James in to watch you as I go talk to M.”

“Thank you, and ask him to bring tea, won’t you?”

“I’m not your butler.”

“ _He_ is, though.” Q chuckled.

“Fair point. Stay out of trouble, Q…and if I catch him looking at you the wrong way I won’t be stopped.”

“It’s really best that we wait.”

“Q, you hold my best friend’s heart in your hands, have a daughter, and are the only sane person the double-os trust, don’t tell me not to be protective of you.”

“Glad I have such utility, it’s great for job security.”

“We’re not kicking you out any time soon, kiddo.” Alec smirked. “James will be up soon, with tea, promise.”

“Thank you.” Q nodded. “Please do act normal, won’t you?”

“Oh ye of little faith. I’m a double-o for a reason, Q.” Alec nodded before he left the room. Q returned to his work, but only after looking through all of R’s work and keeping a small, invisible link to his system—well, it would be invisible to R anyway.

“Q?” James asked at the door. “Tea? We’re out of Earl Grey, but I thought maybe Oolong?”

“Occasionally, thank you James.” Q smiled and took it off his hands. “You know people are strange. Is revenge with a dash of money on the side really enough to drive people mad?”

“Easily. Who are you talking about? Do you know who tried to have you killed?” James asked worriedly.

“Yes…the evidence 006 collected along with everything I’ve just sorted through agrees with only one conclusion.”

“Who is it so I can go kill them?” James demanded.

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you.”

“You weren’t going to tell me?” James asked, angry.

“No, I wasn’t, because you don’t understand that we need him alive for now. He’ll be making connections to organizations that haven’t come out from under their rocks in years—”

“To get a piece of your skin!”

“—and we need to take advantage of that. Also, he could be working with other people and if we just happen to kill him, all of our leads vanish, and there could be fifteen other people waiting to kill me, working with him, as soon as he’s gone. It’s highly logical to make sure he’s an isolated traitor and to figure out who he’s working with before we off him. You are working off of pure anger because you’re too close to the situation. He can’t touch me, there will be a double-o with me everywhere I go.”

“Anyone can be assassinated with the right amount of attention, Q. You can never be perfectly safe.”

“It took months to plan the last attempt. I know him, he’s cautious and slow to act. He’ll plan it out again. It will be at least a month before he strikes again and a month is a lot of time to gather information.”

“It’s R isn’t it?” Q didn’t answer. James headed for the door. Q pressed a button and the door slammed shut, locking.

“Let me out, Q. I’m going to kill him.”

“No, you aren’t. Only I can unlock that door, so you’re going to sit here until you see sense.”

“We’re not using you as bait.”

“I already am. If he’s in contact with other organizations then they know who I am. My name is out there. They _know_ me. We need to take them out with R, which means we have to double-check everything we do and watch what he does. Me, Ellie…neither of us will be safe if we don’t do this right the first time.” James looked at Q and slowly relaxed, sitting on the sofa.

“You’re right. I hate you and I hate this plan…but you’re right.” He conceded. Q slowly walked forward and knelt in front of James’ knees.

“It’ll be alright?” Q promised, cupping James’ face in his hands. James grabbed Q’s wrists and turned his head to the side, kissing Q’s palm gently, leaving his face there. “I know you’ve lost people before…but you aren’t losing me, not until you find me dull and go find someone else.”

“I could never find you dull. There is no one else.” James insisted on an instinct. “Gabe…I just can’t bear the thought…”

“Hey, I’ve got you and little girl who need me, I’m not going anywhere. Got that, 007?”

“Yes, sir.” Q smiled and kissed James’ knee before resting his head on James’ thigh. James let go of one of Q’s hands in favor of massaging his scalp. Q was putty in his hands.

“Want to blow up part of my house as stress relief?” Q asked brightly after a few minutes in calm silence.

“God, I’d love to. It’s a date.”

“Come on then, let’s go. I’ll fuck up CCTV and everything. No one will be able to know where we’re going and we’ll get some stress relief done.”

“Will, M allow that?”

“James, it’s me. If I pout in anyone’s general direction I get what I want.”

“True…true.”

“Come on, no crisis for me at the moment, let’s go before I get dragged into one.”

“Don’t forget the explosives.”

“I won’t, love.”

800Q8

By the time a few hours had past James had managed to get rid of several walls and Q had torn apart the kitchen and everything that had been left behind. The house was a shell. “I can do all the wiring soon. I don’t trust anyone else with the electrical. And security, I can do a lot of security then. Then I could probably do the plumbing…I mean I can always learn something new. Then I can do the panic room and all the walls.”

“I’ve never seen you so excited.” James chuckled. “We should go get a drink. We deserve one after this afternoon.”

“We’re messes.” Q chuckled.

“We can change back into our work things.”

“You’ve got plaster dust in your hair and you smell like explosives.” Q teased, trying to brush the dust out.

“You’re one to talk.” James taunted, ruffling his hair. “Okay, get changed and then go?”

“If Jen’s alright with it.” Q conceded.

800Q8

James kept an arm wrapped around Q as they walked into the bar, then he suddenly let go, taking off through the place. Q was startled until he heard a warm voice call out. “James!”

“Brenda!” James wrapped his hands around the shorter blonde woman and spun her around in a circle, kissing her cheek. Q watched curiously before he followed James. “How have you been and what the hell are you doing here?”

“I live here James, God, you haven’t changed have you? Still all blue-eyed gorgeousness and muscles.” The woman—Brenda—said with a smile. Her blonde hair was shoulder-length and her blue eyes were the color of the ocean. Q worked with dangerous people and he could tell she was dangerous.

“Live here? When did that happen?” James inquired.

“Let’s just say they don’t really…appreciate me back home and things have gone to shit. So…I’ve decided to move. Besides, I like the people here.” She winked at him. “Who’s this?”

“This is my boyfriend, Gabriel.” James smiled proudly, his hand around Q’s waist. “Gabe, this is Brenda, a friend from my Navy days. I ended up working with the Americans a few times and she was the best. Her and hers ended up with us for several months actually. We were good friends.”

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“And you as well, Gabriel.” Brenda smiled, holding out her hand. Q shook it with a smile. “Boyfriend?” She asked James. “Finally found someone who truly struck your fancy then?”

“He’s more than I deserve.” James smiled, Q blushed.

“Perfect… So what are you doing that requires you to keep the muscles and add more scars?” Brenda looked him up and down. “MI6?”

“Could be.” James smiled, sitting down in the booth across from where Brenda had been sitting, pulling Q down with him. Brenda sat down across from them.

“Double-o?”

“Seven.” James winked.

“Sounds like you.”

“Why are you still fit?” James wondered.

“Well, I don’t like being unprepared.” Brenda shrugged. “So, Gabe, you’ve seen the battlefield before. Haven’t you?”

“Yeah…for a few years. A junior agent for a while…wasn’t my thing. I work on a different side of things now.”

“Tech?”

“You are scary good.”

“You learn to read people when you’re paranoid. Besides, James always valued cleverness.”

“And what about you?”

“Married, James. She’s actually supposed to meet me here, but you two showed up. Good thing too, I’ve missed my favorite Brit. Is Alec still kicking?”

“He and I ended up in the same place.”

“Doesn’t surprise me, you two were inseparable.”

“Still are.” Q commented. “They’re practically brothers.”

“Alec’s a pain in the ass too.”

“They both are.” Q rolled his eyes.

“But charming in their own way.” Brenda shrugged before ordering them both a drink. “I’ve got some good stories for you.”

“Do you?”

“Don’t tell him about—”

“Oh, I’ll tell him everything. He deserves to know about the stupidity that is James Bond.”

“Oh I know all about that, but do tell. He doesn’t talk nearly enough about his navy days.”

“There was this one time…”

800Q8

James walked Q to the car, an arm around him. Neither of them were drunk, but Q had had just enough to be slightly flushed. James-of course-was entirely sober due to his tolerance. “Didn’t intend for there to be such a detour tonight…”

“I liked her.” Q smiled. “She had some good stories about you.”

“She’s a serial exaggerator.”

“Her stories seemed pretty true to your character?”

“Shut it.” James chuckled, running a hand through Q’s hair. “I better get you home to your girl.”

“Mm, I’d like that. She’ll be up still. Time enough for a story.”

“Could I read it?”

“A bedtime story from you sounds wonderful.” Q smiled. “What will you read?”

“Harry Potter.” James said after a moment. Q laughed and shook his head.

“We’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays.


	16. As I Lay Dying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't get angry with me.  
> Have faith.

As I Lay Dying

 

It was mid-way through November, months since Q had been shot when he sat at his desk, compiling a list for M. The phone rang and Q picked it up. “This is Q.”

“ _Is it ready yet?”_ M wondered. Q looked at all of his screens quickly before he sent the e-mail to M.

“Yes, everything is ready. I’ve sent all the information I have to you. It will show up in your junk folder, sir.” A minion walked into the room, putting Q’s mug on his desk. “Thank you.” Q smiled at him before the minion walked out of his office again.

_“Are you sure about this?”_

“Oh yes, one-hundred percent. I would say a hundred and ten, but that’s impossible.”

_“If you are quite sure everything is fine now.”_

“Fine as wine. Talk to you later, M, and could you send that agent of mine back? He’s been gone for too long. He’s probably gotten distracted somewhere.”

“ _No problem, Q.”_ M answered before hanging up. Q hung up and looked at his cup of tea,

“Lovely.” He typed a few things on his computer before taking a small swig.

Within a few short seconds the mug of tea was on the ground along with Q’s body.

800Q8

James took the steps two at a time and opened Q’s office door. “Sorry, Eve stopped me and—Q?!” James called out. Q was on the ground, his cup of tea spilled next to him, his body moving sluggishly. “Q? Q!” James ran forward and wrapped his arms around Q, pulling him onto his lap. “Someone, call medical now!” James shouted down the stairs, holding Q close. “Come on, stay with me, Q…don’t.” Q’s body went lax in his arms, dead weight. James shook his head and searched for a pulse, searched for any sign.

All signs of life had left him.

“Nope, no. Q…”

8Eight Days Earlier8

“Look at this.” Q smiled dropping a print out on M’s desk. M looked it over and frowned.

“Why are you smiling? Isn’t this a poison—”

“Recently purchased by R.” Q finished with a huge grin on his face. “Can be put into a liquid and kills within seconds, almost completely untraceable.”

“That isn’t a good thing.”

“No, it’s a brilliant thing, because he often makes my tea for me.” Q grinned sitting across from M cheerily. James stood in the back corner shaking his head with a sigh.

“How is that, in _any_ way, a good thing?”

“That’s the thing. R kills me, alright? Not only does he tell all of his contacts that I’m dead, he also ends up with access to all of my plans and starts selling out. Which means, that we not only get my name and face wiped off the planet, we also get to get rid of five different terrorist cells in a very short amount of time.”

“But you’re dead.”

“No, I’m not dead.”

“But’s you’d have to be dead—“

“Turn the page.” Q smiled. M flipped it over and then glared at Q. “I’ve calculated the precise dosage needed to render me comatose and get rid of any signs that I am alive, very low heart rate, hardly any breathing: perfect waking death. R will likely put the poison in my mug and have it brought up to me. I take a sip of this, rather than my tea, spill my tea out onto the floor, collapse, and James finds me when it’s too late to even _try_ to save me. Medical is _really_ too late and I’m carted off to autopsy, which will actually be where they wake me up, 009 will take me home and I can run the ops that will bring down the cells from my house with no one being the wiser. Then you can take down R as we’re pulling apart his plan.”

“It is clean…” M said after a moment. “And if you’re dead and everyone involved ends up dead, you’re safe again because you’re dead.”

“Exactly, which means Ellie’s safe too.” Q grinned.

“But how will you know when he’s going to poison you?”

“I’ll be watching him, which is as good of an excuse as any to get out of work, plus he’ll wait until I finish my current plans, they’ll be worth selling for him.”

“Okay…just, double-check the calculations on this won’t you?”

“Already quadruple-checked. I’ll be alright.”

“Which doctor do you have in on your plan?”

“Carter, I trust him, besides 009 will be waiting for me and watching carefully as to what they do to me.”

“And 007?”

“He’ll be ‘interrogating’ the poor tech who brought me my tea.” Q smirked. “Don’t kill them, alright?”

“But I’ll have lost my love, shouldn’t I play the part?” James asked with a sinisterly cheerful smirk.

“But a dead tech will not help me when I come back.”

“But it’s more fun that way.”

800Q8

Medical rushed in and plucked Q’s lip body from James’ trembling arms. It was frightening how dead Q really looked. They quickly checked him over for signs of life before rushing him off quickly towards medical, hoping they could shock him back, not knowing that Dr. Carter would call it without actually ever trying to bring him back. James took a moment before looking at the tea and looking at the security footage, trying to pick out which unlucky minion had carried the tea for R. James walked down the stairs, anger properly portrayed on his face.

“007, is Q going to be alright?” A wide-eyed, worried minion asked, sounding absolutely frightened at the possibility of losing their beloved overlord. “What happened?” James walked past them and grabbed the ‘guilty’ minion and slamming her against the wall, not even with all of the strength he had capable. She was wide-eyed and teary within an instant, asking what she’d done, begging _pleading._ But James ignored her and dragged her off, noticing R in the corner silent, a small, slight smile on his face.

“I don’t understand. What did I do? What happened to Q? What in the hell’s going on.” James shoved her into an interrogation room and crowded her into the one corner where audio didn’t pick up. He held her against the corner by her throat, his grip light but very present.

“Shhh, shh, you’re alright.” James promised.

“What?” She asked, breathing heavily, terrified.

“Calm down or you’ll have a heart attack. You need to listen to me.”

“O-okay?”

“Q’s alright, but someone in Q-Branch tried to poison him. We’re blaming you for it temporarily to make them think they got away with it. We know it wasn’t you, calm down.”

“Q’s fine?” She asked, unable to stop the tears that had already started.

“He’s perfect, just don’t say anything, you’re going to be here for a while. Alright?”

“It was R, wasn’t it?” She asked, her voice full of fury even through her tears. “Why? I know he hates Q, but why try to kill him?”

“Jealousy and money are strong motivators and make people idiots…” James sighed.

“Fry him, make it hurt won’t you?”

“Always. Try to act the terrified part, won’t you?”

“Oh you’ve terrified me quite enough. You should see yourself when you’re angry, us mortals can’t not go without wanting to die in a hole.” Someone opened the door and James felt Alec’s hands on his shoulders.

“We need her alive you idiot.” Alec said ripping James away from her. James was surprised at the wonderful acting. She gasped and slid to the floor as if he had been choking her—he blamed it on the Q-branch game nights where good acting came in handy for the games. “James, come on, _now_.” He dragged James out and locked the door. “Damn, she’s good.”

“Yeah.”

“So were you.”

“I’m a double-o, I’m trained to act.”

“True…”

800Q8

009 handed a needle to Dr. Carter and watched carefully as he injected the liquid into Q. Dr. Carter started to look Q over, checking his pulse, his body’s reactions to touches. Slowly the heartbeat picked up and muscles reacted to touches, to pain. “Is he going to be alright?”

“Watch him for the next few hours, but he’s responding well, so far. I’m just going to keep him for about five more minutes, protocol and all.”

“Alright,” 009 nodded. Neither of them moved, except Dr. Carter who moved occasionally to check Q’s pulse as it slowly grew stronger, steadier.

“Okay, forty-eight beats per minute, a little lower than his normal, but a respectable number for him. He normally levels out at about fifty-five, if he isn’t there in the next five hours give him the red needle, if he gets worse the blue one and call me. He should be stable enough for you to safely get him out. Go.”

“Thanks Doc.”

“Anything for Q. Take him.”

“Thank you.” 009 said, lifting the unconscious boffin into his arms and hauling him out of the back door, down a flight of stairs and out and into the waiting car. He strapped Q in and put his earpiece in. “007, he’s fine. Continue as planned.” There was only the slightest noise of agreement before the line went out. “Alright Q, time to go home.”

800Q8

M made the announcement in Q-Branch and it was as if the sun had stopped shining—hell it had imploded. The minions were furious and R ‘solemnly’ took over as Q. It was just a matter of time before R’s world fell around him. M looked forward to it.

800Q8

“Sh, sh, honey.” Jen sighed, rocking Ellie back and forth. “You’re alright. I’m sorry you fell down and bonked your head, but look, it’s all better?” Jen kissed the place where the princess hand fallen and bumped her head gently. “See? All better. Trust me, you’re going to fall a lot, especially if you’re clumsy. We can’t cry all the time princess.” Ellie calmed down, but still sniffled, buried against Jen’s shoulder. “You poor thing, you’re too precious to get hurt.” There was a knock on the door and Jen looked through the peephole. A tall, burly man stood outside. “Who is it?” Jen asked, reaching for the gun next to the door before putting Ellie on her couch.

“Q sent me, he said you’d let me into his flat.” Jen slowly opened the door and held the gun up to 009’s forehead.

“Really?”

“Вы в безопасности.” 009 spoke slowly.

“You don’t have to insult my intelligence, I know what that phrase sounds like in Russian.” She muttered something that sounded very close to a string of profanities in Russian. “No one knows our order of languages.”

“Except Q, he sent me, let me into his flat, please.”

“You’re an agent.” Jen sighed, lowering her gun before backing off, grabbing Ellie in one arm and trading the gun for keys. She walked across the flat and into the hallways, closing her door before punching several buttons, and turning the key in the lock.

“Good, keep the door open.” 009 commented.

“What?”

“Q’s not in the best state.” He shrugged, leaving quickly.

“Jahn…?”

“What, honey?” Jen asked gently, keeping one foot on the door to keep it from swinging shut.

“Nana?”

“No, what do we say, Ellie?” Jen asked. “I know your daddy taught you, so try again, missy.”

“Banban?”

“No, the other one.”

“Banaban peez.”

“There you are. Always say please and thank-you, honey.” Ellie kissed her head.

“DADA!” Ellie squealed and pointed at the lip body in 009’s arm.

“What the hell happened to him?” Jen demanded.

“Poison, he’ll be fine. I’m supposed to stay with him until James can look after him.” 009 said, laying Q on the couch as Jen closed the door. “Wait…did that baby just call him ‘dada’?”

“Um…no?” Jen said, but Ellie’s squirming and reaching for Q didn’t help her lie.

“Oh. My. God. Q has a daughter.”

“If you say a word I’ll slaughter you.”

“No wonder why the kid needed to disappear so badly.” 009 shook his head. “She’s beautiful. No wonder why James’ gone so soft.”

“She’s a princess.” Jen shrugged. Ellie squirmed until Jen put her down and instantly Ellie pushed herself up, past fall forgotten as she walked over to her daddy. She held up her hands.

“Da? Dada up, peez?” Q was out.

“Honey, daddy’s sleeping, want a banana?”

“Dada?”

“Honey, he’s sleeping, come on, we’ll get you bananas and apple juice.”

“App?”

“Oh God is she already a geek?”

“No, she’s talking about juice.” Jen translated. “Honey, I can get you juice.”

“Da…” Ellie sat down in front of the couch.

“God you’re as stubborn as your papa.” Jen sighed heavily.

“Pahpah?” Ellie looked around.

“No, he isn’t home.” Jen rolled her eyes and grabbed Ti off of the counter. “Look it’s Ti.”

“Ti!” Ellie giggled and crawled across the room, grabbing Ti and playing with Jen.

“I don’t want to get in your way.”

“You won’t, but I’m not leaving you alone with either of them.” Jen warned.

“Fair enough. You know you’re pretty badass for a baby sitter.” Not many baby sitters held guns to double-os without blinking.

“I know.” Jen shrugged. “Come on, sweetie, now that I’ve got you distracted, how about banana’s now? You must be hungry.”

800Q8

Q woke an hour later with a discontented groan. “Bad hangover, Q?”

“Fuck you, 009.” Q growled.

“Um…sweetie, Ellie’s hear, mind the language.” Jen commented.

“That one was deserved.” Q insisted.

“Dada!” Q pushed himself into a sitting position and smiled at Ellie.

“Hello, baby girl.” Q grinned. “How are you today, sweetie?” Jen let her toddle over to Q.

“Up peez?” She asked, holding up her arms for Q.

“Look at you.” Q grinned, pulling her up into his arms. “Thank you for saying, please, sweetie.” He kissed her cheek and she pressed a sloppy kiss against his. “Say hi to 009, honey.”

“Hiii,” she waved a little hand at 009.

“He made sure daddy came home safe today.” Q sighed, kissing her temple gently. “Thank you.” He looked up at 009.”

“No problem.”

“No problems with me were there?”

“No, Dr. Carter even ran a blood sample he took, you should be perfectly fine.”

“Good.” Q nodded.

“I didn’t know you were a father.”

“No one does and I’d like to keep it that way...”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

“She’s beautiful… You know, Maggie’s expecting.”

“Really?” Q asked with a smile. “You’re scared out of your mind aren’t you?”

“A kid, really? I kill things for a living.” 009 shook his head.

“Well, Ellie’s doing alright… I just…try not to bring it home.”

“But it’s you and Bond.”

“Yeah, well, we both try, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t, but she’s doing alright and yours will too. If you want you can always ask. I’m sure James would be the better person to ask.” Q shrugged.

“You’re the only person who knows, you know.”

“I’d never tell.” Q promised. “I know what it’s like.” He smiled at Ellie before his demeanor shifted. “Now could you bring me my laptop? I have missions to run and do try not to damage it within the twenty feet you have to carry it.”

“Yes, sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mission part of the fic is pretty much over. Family fluff is about to start. :D  
> Much Love.


	17. Welcome Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's angst in here as well as descriptions of a dead child, be cautious.  
> This is really the last serious chapter in this story...so fluff is about to become a thing as this is wrapped up. We'll have a wedding and another baby and first school days and all that stuff, anyone else up for that?  
> Awesome.  
> :D

Welcome Back

 

“Status, 003?” Q demanded and then waited.

_“All enemies down, setting bomb.”_

“Good, I detonate it from here when you’re clear.”

 _“You scare the fuck out of me, Q.”_ Q covered Ellie’s ears where she sat on his lap. She looked up at him, confused before shrugging and playing with Ti on his lap. He didn’t mind her being in front of his laptop, it wasn’t anything she’d understand, no live feeds, nothing…just coding, maps and the red dot that was 003.

“Don’t I just?” Q smirked, typing quickly.

 _“I’m clear—shit!”_ 003 cursed as the building blew up.

“I know. Extraction is waiting five miles northeast of your position. Thank you, 003.”

“ _Are you coming back home, Q?”_

“Yes.”

_“Take a picture of R for me, won’t you?”_

“I’ll frame it.” Q promised. “Q out.” He said before closing the line. “Guess what, Daddy gets to be alive again. I’m going to miss being home all this time though…” Q sighed, kissing the top of Ellie’s head. “How about we get some dinner, huh? Then you need to get some sleep.”

“Din.”

“Knew you were hungry.”

“Pahpuh?”

“He’s not going to be home tonight, honey. He’s on a plane home, you’ll see him in the morning, promise. God…you’re nearly as anxious to see him as I am… I promise he’ll be home tomorrow.”

James didn’t show up the next morning, so Jen looked after Ellie as Q went back to work.

800Q8

Q walked into Q-Branch and smiled at his minions. “Good morning.” Q smiled cheerily, waving at them. “Everyone have a good weekend?”

“Q?”

“Overlord?”

“Sir?” Everyone was looking at him with wide eyes.

“What’s the problem?”

“You were killed.” A minion pointed out.

“Maybe he’s a ghost.”

“Where wilt thou lead me? speak; I'll go no further.” Q quoted with a fond smile. “It’s me.”

“He always did seem like he’d make a great Hamlet…”

“Parker! Gather the files on—Q?” R looked at his old boss with wide eyes.

“Yes.” Q nodded. “Did you really think it would go well? Trying to kill me. Really, I’m not blind, in spite of how think these are.” He smiled tapping his glasses. “I’m sure you’ll find that today all who you worked with are dead and if my agent friend have anything to say about the future, you won’t be, for a while.” Q sighed as two junior agents grabbed R. “I really can’t control them when they’re grumpy. Take him away won’t you?” The man was dragged away and Q shook his head turning back to his minions. “Sorry for upsetting you all, but let’s try to move on from this, right?” One of the smaller minions rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. Q jumped and slowly, awkwardly, patted her on the back.

“Don’t you dare leave us again, Overlord.”

“Okay…” She let go and then slapped him.

“And that’s for making us cry.”

“And that’s why I’m gay.” He teased lightly. She rolled her eyes and sat down.

“What she said.” The other minions agreed before doing as their Overlord bid and getting back to work. A few minutes later the minion accused for his death walked in and waved at Q cheerfully.

“Hello, boss.” She grinned.

“Move your things to your new office.” Q commented.

“Office?”

“Of course, R, would hate to make you think that you couldn’t have an office.” Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

“What?”

“You heard me, go on.”

“Thank you sir, I—”

“Sh, go, there’s work to be done.”

“Of course.” She nodded, scurrying off. If getting choked by James Bond did this, she was glad he choked her.

800Q8

“James…” James hummed a short reply, nothing more before scrubbing his face and hands. “I’m sorry about Tanzania.”

“It’s alright.” James commented.

“You’ve been drinking.” Q said after a moment.

“I’m sorry, I know it bugs you, but—”

“It’s alright, I trust you.” Q assured him. Then again, James didn’t get violent when he drank, he was just naturally that way at times—especially wound up. Q knew James would never hurt him though.

“Not sure that’s a good thing.” James muttered.

“I’m pretty confident in it.” Q sighed wondering how to ask. They weren’t officially moved in together, but he wanted James to come over, knowing it might also be good for James. “I can make dinner tonight if you want.”

“Sounds wonderful, Q.” James said, attempting a smile that didn’t meet his eyes before pressing a gentle kiss to Q’s temple. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

800Q8

Ellie was being fussy, which wasn’t conducive to cooking as she wouldn’t keep calm unless she was in Q’s arms. She’d gotten used to having her daddy home and having him gone again really didn’t sit well with her. “Honey, I can’t make dinner if you don’t let go.” Q commented, stirring with one hand and bouncing her on his hip in his other. “Really, it will be impossible.” The instant he tried to pull her hands off of his shirt she started sniffling in a pathetic, terrified way that broke Q’s heart. “Stalemate then…” James came in through the door and Q sighed. “James, would you mind holding onto Ellie for a moment, I can’t cook with her like this.”

“I can’t.” James said after looking at her, his face pinching in pain.

“Just for a sec—”

“I can’t Q, I just can’t.” James didn’t even look like he could look at Ellie. Q froze as James walked through the flat, into the bedroom, closing the door. Q turned off the oven and put Ellie down, hearing her cry the instant she was put in the small play area. He handed her Ti, which did nothing to stop her fit, but he followed James into the other room. James was in the corner, his face in his hands. Q slowly knelt down in front of him and gently touched his knee.

“Hey…what’s wrong?”

“Mels.”

“What about Mels?”

“You didn’t see.”

“See what, darling?” Q asked, trying to speak as gently as he could, not condescendingly, but softly, so that James knew he was safe, that everything was alright.

“They set off a bomb and this little girl…God she was Mels’ age. So little and burnt and bloody and I tried. I held her, I tried…she died Q. What if that was Mels? What if I couldn’t save her? God she’s so small, so much blood though.”

“James, she’s okay. Ellie’s alright.”

“But what if I can’t save her one day—what if I’m not fast enough or smart enough or—” Q grabbed James’ face tightly.

“Look at me. She is fine and perfect and she will always be fine and perfect. She is surrounded by people who would kill and die for her and she is going to be fine. Do you hear me? Nothing will ever happen to her. I won’t let it and you won’t let it.”

“We both know mistakes can be made.” James shook his head. “I’m a magnet for danger.”

“And I’m not?!” Q asked. “Or have you forgotten that I’ve been shot and poisoned in the last few months? Look, I don’t tell people this, but you need to hear it now. Those five terrorist cells that were after me? They were just the ones who knew my name. Do you understand? I am the brightest mind in intelligence with a shit ton of information in my brain and at the ends of my fingers I can find whatever I want. I could talk anyone into Fort Knox without them being questioned. I can get anything I want. This mind—” he pointed to his head “—has gotten a lot of attention. When I said there were six people in the world who could do what I did? Yeah, Silva’s dead, so are two others. One is in Korea being tortured and the other hasn’t stopped running for five years. To say people are looking for me is an understatement. If they knew how to find me, I’d be dead. I’m a danger magnet too James, this isn’t just you. That little girl may have two men in her life who are absolute trouble, but she’s happy, she’s healthy, she’s beautiful, she’s never been hurt more than a bonk on her head. James, look at your past, you may not count, because it hurts, but you have saved more people in a single mission than you’ve killed—and that’s just one mission. I know you dream about them and it hurts and sometimes you can’t tell now from the past…but your save percentages it’s at—sorry looking through your file mentally and averaging the people you could have saved per time… 90.8271932 percent and mine’s at 93.837495. So we’re at a 92.3323441 percent chance that she’ll make it through completely unharmed a 94.687923 percent chance of her getting out alive. I like those odds, don’t you?”

“Q…”

“James, she could stick her finger in an outlet and die. She could go to sleep and not wake up. She could hit her head too hard. She could get a fever and have a seizure. When she starts walking alone, oh God, muggings, murder, hit by a car, hit by a bus, falling out of the sky in a damn plane, James.” Q scoffed and shook her head.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“It’s supposed to make you see that you can’t afford to be afraid of hurting her or me. The odds are already against all of us James—we all die. Don’t be afraid of yourself, it will only haunt you. Fight tooth and nail for what you love, but don’t sit and think that you’ll bring ruin to them because it will only hurt you and everyone who loves you.” Q sighed and stood up. “Take your time, alright…but…know that, really, we’re better off with you around than gone. And she missed you…so stop and say hi won’t you. She really missed her papa.” Q smiled and left the room. Ellie had gone quiet as if she knew something was wrong. “It’s alright, precious.” Q promised, kissing her head before going back to cooking. A moment later he heard James walk into the room.

“Hey, princess.”

“Pahpuh! Papa!” Ellie squealed and giggled, clapping her hands.

“What was this I was told about you being in a mood today?” James asked, picking her up. She was warm and perfect and her heart was pumping perfectly fine and she wasn’t screaming and she wasn’t burned. James sighed and kissed her head gently.

“Papa, mi yanna mana eyah—” She kept babbling for a bit, baby talk mixed in with some words she knew, as if she were trying to express things that she didn’t quite know how to string together.

“All that?” James asked. Q secretly took a picture of the man talking and holding Ellie in his arms before he continued with dinner.

“Boks?” Ellie looked up at James expectantly.

“Bok? What’s a bok?” James wondered.

“Bok. Papa lay bok?” James slowly sat her down, not understanding.

“What’s bok?”

“Boks!” She toddled away, bringing back a small box of colored blocks.

“Oh, you want to play with blocks?”

“Boks!” Ellie giggled and clapped before grabbing one of them. “Papa ha bloo.” She handed over a blue one. “Gree…Reh!” She handed them over before putting a purple one down.

“What color’s that one?” James asked.

“Pur!”

“Yup…” James smiled, putting the green one next to it. “What’s that one?”

“Gree!” James smiled and clapped quietly.

“Good job, princess.”

“Yewoh!” Ellie put a yellow one on top of the purple one.

“Wonderful, what’s this one?” James asked, putting the blue one down.

“Bloo!”

“Good job.” Ellie grabbed a brown one and attempted to put it on the other ones, but knocked them all down with her still uncoordinated hands.

“Uh-ooh.”

“Uh-ooh.”

“You two are adorable.” Q chuckled. “Time for food.”

“Do we have to? We’re playing and learning. Do you really want to disrupt the learning process?”

“You need food to play.” Q commented. James looked at Ellie and shrugged.

“He has a point, Mels. Come on.” James smiled at Q. Nothing was magically fixed, they both knew it. The pain was still there, the fear was still there, but James now had a different way to look at it, a way to live with it, and that was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	18. Move On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> James and Q move in together. :D

Move On

 

Q smiled as he finished rolling on the last spot of paint. He smiled around. The house was perfect. Empty, but perfect. It was going to be the home Q had wanted it to be. He’d already given notice to his landlord, but not James. James hadn’t been in the house since they’d both had the fiasco that was dragging the tub into place in the upstairs bathroom. Q smiled, shut off the lights and left the house, locking the door behind him before heading home.

“—don’t ever tell your daddy this, but I used to love Baker…but Tennant’s my real favorite now and—”

“Honey, I’m home.”

“Sh.” James hushed Ellie instantly. Q took off his coat and smiled.

“Anything you want to tell me?”

“Nope.” James stated, shutting off the TV.

“Sure.” Q rolled his eyes and walked past.

“Dada!”

“I can’t hug you at the moment, will soon though, promise.” Q grinned.

“You’re covered in paint.”

“I know.”

“Paint guns in Q-branch again?”

“Better.” Q replied, closing the bedroom door to get dressed.

“Probably paint grenades, never let your Dad get into anything competitive, he’s scary.” James warned.

“I heard that!” Q called before he came out of the room. He pulled Ellie into his arms and kissed her cheek before tossing James something.

“What’s this?”

“Keys to the house.”

“You finished it.”

“Yup.” Q smiled proudly.

“That’s great.” James smiled handing the keys back.

“Keep them…if you want.” Q commented.

“What?”

“Move in with us?” Q asked simply. Had James been asked by anyone else the answer would have been no in a heartbeat.

“I’d love to.”

800Q8

“Well this won’t be too difficult.” A familiar voice commented.

“Hello, Brenda.” James called.

“Hello, sweet-thang.” She winked, kissing his cheek. “Finally doing the big move-in are you? Who’s getting your stuff?”

“Well, my friends Eve, Alec, and Bill tackled my flat, not that there’s much in it.” James shrugged.

“Hello, Brenda.” Q smiled, walking into the room, holding Ellie in one hand. He wrapped an arm around the woman and kissed her cheek. “Good to see you again.”

“And you. And is this the princess I’ve heard so much about?”

“Yup, this is Ellie.” Q grinned.

“I could eat her up, she’s adorable.” Brenda grinned, kissing Ellie’s cheek before Q moved away and strapped Ellie into a car seat.

“So it’s just us there here?” Brenda wondered, looking at the boxes.

“And us.” Jen smiled, stepping into the room, a boy her age following her. “Can’t believe I’m losing my neighbor.” Jen said, throwing her arms around Q’s neck and kissing his cheek before turning to James. “Can’t believe I missed a perfectly good opportunity to poison you.” Jen teased lightly.

“Love you too, Jen.” James sighed.

“And who’s this?” Q asked.

“Oh, um…a friend. He’s alright. His name’s Edward. Edward, these are the guys I told you about.”

“Hello, sirs.” He said awkwardly. Q looked at Jen and raised an eyebrow. Jen raised one back. “She talks about you two a lot…almost like you were her fathers.”

“Awe, Jen does have feelings.” James teased.

“Yeah, yeah…shut it.” Jen sighed. “So what box should I grab?” Jen wondered and then turned and looked behind her. “And umm, what about the room?”

“The room?”

“You know _the_ room?” Jen asked, nodded towards the concealed panic room.

“It’s a _company_ flat, Jen.” Q explained.

“Great…promise me someone sane moves in alright?” Jen sighed.

“Anyone who moved in would be of lower rank than you, darling.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t be a flatterer, I know you’re gay.” Jen rolled her eyes and grabbed a box, leaving the room. James looked at Edward.

“I would threaten you, but she can take care of herself. Just know that after she’s through with you, we’re coming after you, so don’t fuck it up.”

“Yes, sir.” Edward nodded before grabbing a box and scuttling off.

“Well, your baby girl’s going to be dateless for the rest of her life.”

“That’s not a bad thing. People are horrible, men even more so.” James commented. Q folded his arms over his chest. “Except you, sweetie, you’re my angel.”

“Sure.” Q nodded.

“I’m taking this box down.” Brenda said, picking up one labeled (Ellie’s clothes) before leaving the room. James grabbed a box of kitchen supplies and Q grabbed a box of computer parts, waiting for Jen to slip back in to watch Ellie before he left.

800Q8

“Last box.” Jen smiled, picking it up. James smiled and reached for Ellie.

“I’ve got her. Go on down to the car.” James nodded in understanding, leading Brenda out with him. Q gently touched Ellie’s hand and she grabbed onto him, opening her blue eyes to look at him. “You won’t remember this…but I talked to you for the first time in this flat. They came to tell me that they were expecting and I talked to you, inside your mummy’s belly. I put the nick in the floor in the kitchen when I found out your mum was in labor. I dropped a knife and ran to the hospital. We found out your mommy and daddy weren’t coming back here. I was standing right there, you know, and you were there. I became a dad here, I was terrified… You crawled and spoke for the first time here. Learned your first colors and words here. We met James while we were here. It’s too small, it’s not good enough for you, but you know what, it took good care of us didn’t it? Time to move on. I know you’re going to be scared at the new place. It will be too big and scary for you…but you’ll be alright. It will be home soon, I promise. And I promise everything will be as good as I can make it for you, I promise.” Q kissed her head gently before picking up her car seat, turning off the lights and leaving the flat behind.

800Q8

“You did this?” Brenda asked, looking around the relatively empty house, except for boxes and a few pieces of furniture that would need to be moved.

“The two of us did, yeah.”

“God, Q, it turned out perfectly.” James smiled.

“I told you it was perfect.” Q smiled. “It just needed a lot of work done.”

“Um…can you two do our house?” Brenda asked.

“Not for free. Sorry, but it was a lot of work on top of espionage and death threats and raising a daughter, alright?”

“Eh, I understand. When can you start and how much do you charge?” Brenda asked teasingly.

“Heh, not now.” Q shrugged. Alec, Eve, and Tanner stepped into the house and their eyes widened.

“Jesus, Q…how do you function?” Eve demanded.

“What?”

“You work over twelve hours some days, you raise a daughter, have a relationship, and build a house? Do you not sleep?”

“I have a time turner.”

“And a justifiably overpaid babysitter.” James added.

“All valid points.” Q shrugged. “I would offer drinks while you help unpack, but if I do that now, I know Alec will be drunk before anything gets done.”

“Hey!”

“It’s true.” Q commented. “The rest of you can have anything you want, it’s in the kitchen.”

“So not fair.” Alec shook his head.

800Q8

By night, most of the things were put into their places, save a few small knickknacks that hadn’t found their homes yet. Q lay on James’ lap while Ellie napped in her playpen in the corner of the living room. James ran his fingers through Q’s hair. “You did good, Gabe.”

“Think so?”

“I know so.” James answered. The fire in the fireplace flickered and cracked.

“My office is huge… I need more computers. Maybe a whole control room so I don’t have to be in Q-Branch every day.” Q commented. James chuckled and leaned down to kiss Q.

“Whatever you want, Q…”

“You think Ellie will like it here?”

“I think as long as she’s got you, Ti, and bananas she could live anywhere.”

“Bana?”

“You started it.” Q commented dryly. “You get to tell her no.”

“What princess wants she gets.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“He’s trying to usurp your throne, my liege. What are you going to do about it?”

“Bana?”

“I swear she’s a Time Lord. What else could it be?” Q sighed.

“I’ve got it, okay?”

“If you sneak her bananas you can sleep out here tonight.”

“I would never, sneak her anything.”

“Mmhm.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	19. Welcome to the Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole story started because of this one-shot I wanted to do... So...yeah... :D  
> Please note that two years have passed. Ellie's three (and a quarter).

Welcome to the Family

 

8Two Years Later8

“Thank you, Jen.” James smiled, kissing her cheek.

“Not a problem, she’s an angel. She’s coloring upstairs in her room, I haven’t gotten dinner ready yet, but—”

“I can get it.”

“Alright,” Jen smiled warmly. “How’s Gabe?”

“He’s alright last he checked in.”

“Don’t worry, Alec will take good care of him.” Jen assured James, rubbing his shoulder soothingly.

“I know, I just worry.”

“Of course you do, you love him and it’s adorable to see an agent fall to pieces.” Jen winked before kissing his cheek. “Brenda called, asking if you two were still up for drinks next Friday, she said you could just text if you were.” Jen said turning to leave.

“Don’t think I don’t notice you’re wearing make-up. Where are you going?”

“Out for texting and scones. A date, James.” Jen explained.

“I know about texting and scones… Do I need to talk to him?”

“No, I can handle this one.” Jen chuckled. “Goodnight, secret agent man.” She winked and left the house, closing the front door behind her. James shook his head and took a deep breath before he climbed the stairs one at a time.

How do you talk about this to a three year old? Even an intelligent three and a half year old? She was very intelligent and so, so wise for her age…but still, she was just a kid. She was a reasonable kid—in that she was one that could be reasoned with and reason with others. Even her ‘terrible-twos’ weren’t terrible because she was smart and could try to reason and make sense of what she was thinking and feeling—which worked best with James, because Q had taught him how to speak boffin and the two like minds sometimes had troubles in the same room. She—of course—had her breakdowns but they hadn’t been all that bad.

Still…how do you ask a kid this?

James knew he had to, he’d be insulting her intelligence and her place in her world if he didn’t…but still. He’d rather face a terrorist cell than the preschooler now down the hall from him. He slowly walked into her room and smiled down at her. She was laying on her belly on her carpet, drawing with colored pencils in a coloring book. She was wearing a white dress with a blue stripe in it. A TARDIS bow kept her chocolate curls out of her face. Her socks were mismatched and colorful. “Did you have fun today, Mels?” Ellie looked up at him and beamed, pushing herself off the floor.

“Papa!” She ran forward and wrapped her arms around his leg tightly. James chuckled and ruffled her hair.

“Hello to you too, princess.” James grinned.

“Is Daddy coming home?”

“Not today, maybe tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay… Is he safe?”

“He is.” James promised her. “If he can I’m sure he’ll call tonight, okay?”

“Okay…” She nodded against his leg before letting go. “I drew butterflies today.”

“Did you?”

“Mm-hm it’s blue…even though this one is supposed to be orange.”

“Who says it has to be that color?”

“Aunt Jen showed me a book with zoo animals in it and the patterns means it’s um…it’s a…mon…”

“Monarch?” James suggested.

“That’s the one! They’re orange, not blue, but I wanted it to be blue, just in case you or daddy helped me cut it out and let me tape it to the wall, so it would look better. Wanna see it?”

“Sure, princess.” James smiled sitting down on her bed as she ran to her dresser and brought back a page with a butterfly on it.

“I got outside the lines once,” she said bouncing onto the bed, “but if you or daddy cuts it out no one will know.”

“It looks beautiful, Mels. We’ll make sure it goes on the wall, okay?”

“Okay.” She grinned, James leaned over and kissed the top of her head. He gently put the picture down on her side table.

“Can we talk, honey?”

“Uh-oh, sounds sewious—serious.” She corrected herself quickly, almost scolding, not liking having mispronounced the word. She hated it when her body betrayed her brains—so did Q. “Is it bad?”

“No, it’s not, I promise.” James took a deep breath. “I want to talk to you about something important.”

“Mkay.”

“You…know about marriage right? When Ariel and Eric get married or—”

“Amy and Rory in Doctor Who?” Ellie suggested.

“Right.” James sighed and smiled, any other kid would have been a little bit more confused—at least at first. “Um, okay, honey…people get married when they’re in love and when they want to start or join a family and um… I have to ask you something… Is it okay if I marry Daddy?” James asked gently. Confusion crossed Ellie’s face for the first time.

“Why would you want to do that?”

“Because I want to be a part of this family, sweetheart, forever.” James said truthfully. He never thought he’d say that about anyone, but he loved Q and loved Ellie and he couldn’t live in a world without them.

“But you are family and don’t you love Daddy? I thought you did.”

“I do, honey, I do, so much and I love you…but I want to be completely part of this family. I want to be your Daddy’s husband and I want to be your papa one-hundred percent.”

“But you are my papa.” Ellie commented in the honest sort of pouty way only a child could. James pulled her into a warm hug, trying not to let the tears become more than a gloss in his eyes. He pulled away and ran a hand through her gentle curls.

“Can me and your daddy get married and let the whole world know?”

“Would you leave if you didn’t say yes?”

“No, honey, I wouldn’t leave you unless you wanted me to go.”

“I don’t want you to _ever_ go.”

“Me neither.” James smiled. God bless that children her age didn’t quite understand mortality.

“You can marry him if you want, but it sounds like nothing’ll change.”

“We get to wear shiny rings.” James told her.

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“That’s cool.” Ellie nodded.

“I got to ask you one more thing, sweetie.”

“What’s that?”

“Can I adopt you?”

“Adopt me? Like Lewis in Meet the Robinsons?”

“Exactly.”

“Why would you want to do that? Aren’t you already my papa?”

“Because I love you and I want the world to know it.”

“Yeah, you can adopt me…but I think adults are silly.”

“Why is that?”

“I know you love me and Daddy knows you love him and you know he loves you and I know he loves me…so why does the world need to know? Do you really need a big ol’ ‘welcome to the family’?”

“Mostly?” James asked, leaning in as if to tell her a secret.

“What?”

“Legal purposes and religious ones too.”

“Oh, that makes more sense now.” Ellie shrugged. God she was far too smart.

“Okay…but you can’t tell Daddy we talked about this okay?”

“Okay.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good. I’ll go make dinner, alright?”

“Alright.” Ellie nodded returning to her coloring as James slowly walked out of the room. James heard little feet before he got to the stairs and swayed a bit when arms wrapped around his legs.

“What is it, princess?” She pulled away and reached up, grabbing his tie. He leaned down and faced her eye-to-eye as he knew she wanted. She kissed him and smiled.

“Welcome to the family.” She grinned before letting go and skipping back to her room, coloring again.

A few stray tears did manage to fall before James made it down the stairs. He shook his head, took a deep breath and went to the kitchen.

800Q8

“Mels, dinner!” James called up the stairs. She ran down the stairs and practically jumped into James’ arms. He smiled and caught her, carrying her to the table and helping her into her seat. “There you go, my queen.”

“Aw…broccoli?” She asked dejectedly.

“You have to try one, other than that you can have whatever else you want.”

“Only one?”

“Only one.” James promised before asking her what she wanted and dishing her plate. “There you go.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” They ate in companionable silence for a few minutes before Ellie looked up.

“Papa, when are you going to ask Daddy?”

“I don’t know just yet. I got to go get him a ring though don’t I?”

“Can I help?”

“Sure.” James smiled. “But you can’t tell Daddy.”

“I promised. I can keep secrets, just like you and Daddy.”

“Okay.” James smiled. “Don’t think I don’t see you trying to sneak that broccoli away. I’m not as smart as Daddy, but I am observant.” Ellie quit trying to hide her broccoli and took the smallest of nibbles out of it, her nose wrinkled.

“What’s abservant?”

“Observant.” James corrected gently. “It means I notice things.”

“Yeah…you do.” Ellie sighed before she ate the rest of the stalk in one go. “It’s better to do it all at once.”

“Yes it is.” James nodded before a beep filled the house, slow and steady.

“Daddy?” Ellie asked. James was on his feet quickly and pulled Ellie up into his arms, carrying her to the study. He opened the door and, sure enough, the computer was blinking on. James sat down in the chair and Ellie settled on his lap before a video link opened. “Daddy!”

“Hi, angel!” Q smiled, waving at her with a bright, warm smile on his face. James saw the bags under his eyes though, the tired slump of his shoulders. “How are you?”

“I drew a butterfly—well, colored it. It was a—uh…”

“A monarch, sweetie.”

“That’s right! A monarch! And I colored it blue, even though it shouldn’t be. Aunt Eve visited yesterday and Aunt Jen stayed all day today. And um…I learned some additions too.”

“Additions, what ones?” Q asked, relaxing slightly—but not truly relaxing.

“Well, one and one is two, and two and two is four, and four and four is eight.”

“Good job. Could you tell me whaaaat….two and one is?”

“Um… Three.”

“Good job, you’re getting better.”

“She’s better at maths than I am.” James commented.

“I know.” Q sighed. “My little genius…”

“Uncle Alec!” Ellie giggled and waved at Alec in the background. He was limping, but Ellie didn’t notice. James could see the wound in his leg.

“Hey, girly. Staying in trouble?”

“No… I’m not good at trouble like you.”

“Pity.” Alec said under his breath. “I’m going to go to sleep, Ellie, alright? I’ll bring your dad home soon, alright?”

“Okay!” She grinned.

“Honey, can I talk to Papa for a moment?” Q asked.

“Okay…but don’t go without saying goodbye.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, honey.” Q promised before Ellie climbed off of James’ lap and left the room, closing the door behind her.

“What happened?”

“Got shot at—I’m okay…but Alec took a bullet to his thigh. He’ll be alright, just a flesh wound compared to what you normally go through.”

“Still hurts like a bitch.” Alec called from off screen.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m tired, hate it when these things go tits up…but we got what we needed. We’re hunkered down in a safe house for now. They’re at the airport though, waiting for us to show, so we’re going to have to take a boat, but you know I prefer that. It will just be a bit longer.”

“Just stay safe, alright?”

“I am.” Q promised with a small smile. “How’s she doing?”

“She misses you, we both miss you. She was crying the other night.”

“You should see how she gets when you’re gone, poor thing.”

“So, a two days from now then?”

“Yeah, should be. We’ll be back soon and I’ll come right home after dropping off this bloody thing.”

“You should sleep.”

“Too keyed up, besides I don’t sleep well without you, especially when I’m not at home. I feel safer with you…when I’m home.”

“Alec will look after you.”

“He’s already gotten shot for me, that’s about all he can do.” Q sighed. “I’ve got to go soon, can you call Ellie?”

“Yeah. Mels!” The door opened again and Ellie ran through the door getting back up on James’ lap.

“Sweetie, Daddy’s got to go, but I’ll be home soon, okay? I’m all done with work, now I just have to come home, okay?”

“Okay. I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Ellie.” Q smiled, blowing a kiss through the screen at his daughter. Ellie blew one back and waved. “See you soon, sweetheart. Sleep tight, love. Love you, James.”

“Love you too, Q.” James smiled before the screen went dark. “Well, honey, it’s time for bed.” James stood up slowly, making sure she didn’t slip from his grip.

“Will he really be home soon?” Ellie asked as she clung to James.

“Yup. He’ll be home very soon.”

“Good, I miss him.”

“I promise he’ll be home very soon, then we can have a day together. We could go to the zoo maybe, if Daddy feels up to it.”

“Really? Do they have big cats? Like Ti?”

“Yes they do.”

“I wanna go see the cats.”

“We’ll go if Daddy says yes, alright?”

“Mkay. Come on, you must be tired. I’ll get you tucked in. Do you want me to read you a book?”

“Harry Potter?”

“Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	20. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you find the end-half cute of this chapter. :D

Questions

 

Ellie watched the movie and watched as Simba was bathed by his mother. She frowned and then glanced over at the picture on the side table. She grabbed it and looked at her Daddy and the woman in the picture. She slid down from the couch and walked to the kitchen, looking at her Papa and Daddy. “Daddy?”

“What honey?” Q asked, putting down letters on the board, beating the hell out of James at Scrabble.

“Where’s my mommy?” James looked at Q with a tight look on his face. They knew the day would come. Q sighed and slid back, Ellie climbed into his lap at the invitation, still holding the picture.

“Do you know what biologically means?”

“No…but bio means life, right?”

“Yup.”

“And logic is…order? Right?” Ellie wondered.

“Okay, very good…um. Biological means that you’re related by blood in the context I’m using it in.”

“Okay, so…”

“Honey, you’re not biologically, our daughter.”

“So we don’t share blood.”

“Exactly. Boys can’t have babies, sweetheart.”

“Of course not, that would look silly.” Ellie giggled before looking down again. “So did you adopt me?”

“Sort of, honey, here, look.” Q said, pointing to the picture. “That’s my brother: Benjamin.”

“You look exactly like him.”

“We were twins, and this is his wife Megan. They are your biological parents.”

“So that’s my mummy and…father?”

“Yup. See, when you were little, they had to go somewhere for work, so they asked me to take care of you… Their plane had an accident and they didn’t make it, so I adopted you.”

“Did they go to heaven?”

“Of course they did, sweetie.” Q soothed.

“So…they’re my parents by blood, but you and Papa…are my parents by life right?”

“I suppose you could say it that way.”

“I can’t remember them, so I guess it doesn’t matter if we don’t share blood does it? I mean…you’re my parents.”

“Thanks for that, sweetie.” Q smiled, kissing the top of her head. “When you get older I’ll tell you more about them, deal?”

“Deal.” Ellie nodded. “But I did have a mommy once, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay.” She said before going back to the living room, putting the frame down and sitting on the couch, curled up with Ti.

“Holy hell.” Q rubbed his forehead.

“You both took that well.”

“Who has that talk with a girl who isn’t even four?”

“Two geniuses.” James shrugged. “Want some tea?”

“Please.” Q sighed. James started some tea before returning and massaging Q’s shoulders.

“You did fine, sweetheart.” James soothed, kissing the side of his neck. Q grabbed his hand and leaned against him.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” James promised.

800Q8

A week later, Q chuckled and sat down in front of The Fighting Temeraire, the last time he’d been in front of it he’d met James, but now he was there to meet 003, gun and radio hidden under his coat. He stared at the picture and debated on whether or not the sun was rising or setting until he felt someone walk up to him. He stood and turned only to be faced with James.

“James, what are you doing here?” Q wondered. He hadn’t told James where he’d be. How had James known? Why was he kneeling? Q suddenly understood. His first thought was that he was going to kill R for making him sneak a gun into a museum, his second though made his heart want to jump out of his chest.

“Gabriel…”

“Yes.” James froze.

“What?”

“Yes.”

“You know, I had this whole thing and you just come out and say ‘yes’?” James asked, sounding teasingly irritated, but the smile on his face was genuine and full of happiness.

“Yes.” Q smiled. James didn’t even bother grabbing the rings. He stood up and pulled Q into a passionate, loving kiss, full of smiles. When they pulled apart, breathless they held each other close, resting their heads against each other’s shoulders.

“Really though, I had nice words to say and everything. You’re never getting those from me now.”

“I don’t care.” Q chuckled, kissing up James’ neck.

“I’m just glad Mels didn’t tell you.”

“Ellie knew?”

“Well I had to ask permission, didn’t I?” James chuckled. Q smiled and pressed a kiss to James’ lips.

“I love you.”

“I am pretty lovable.” James teased.

“And then he ruins the moment.”

“Didn’t.”

“Did too.” Q chuckled.

“Here, let me fix it.” James smiled, pulling a ring free before he slowly slipped it onto Q’s hand, pressing kisses against his hand before placing one to his ring. Q blushed and looked at the ring, laughing as soon as he did. Engraved on it was one word: _Innovation._ He pulled free the one remaining and slipped it onto James’ hand, kissing his hand the same way, before kissing the ring that simply said: _Efficiency_.

“No one else in the world will know what we’re talking about.”

“Good.” James smiled, kissing Q again.

Q was pretty sure the sun was rising in The Fighting Temeraire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	21. Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jen is a miracle worker.  
> Wedding stuff.  
> The songs are:  
> A Thousand Years: John Barrowman (I know BARRROOOOWMANN!!!)  
> Never Alone: Lady A  
> You'll Be In My Heart: Phil Collins  
> I don't own any of them.

Wedding

 

The wedding was a very small ceremony and nearly all of those in attendance were from MI6—except for Brenda and Jen as well as their plus ones. It was simple and quiet, although there was nothing but Aw’s for Ellie when she walked down the aisle tossing flower petals over everyone, because she’d insisted on being the flower girl.

The vows were simple but heartfelt.

Alec catcalled when they kissed—there was always one.

The reception was louder and planned entirely by Jen, who insisted that they have at least a little bit of a reception before they disappeared. Gabriel and James Bond were both hanging out on the edge of the room, holding onto Melanie Shaw-Bond as they spoke to each other and Brenda, who teased James for finally joining the married world and how she was sure he would have run out.

“Sorry, but these two need to dance.” Jen smiled. “Princess, come to Aunty Jen, Daddy and Papa need to dance.” Jen grinned taking Ellie into her arms.

“But there’s no—” Music started.

“Yes there is.” Jen winked. Q looked at James and held out his hand.

“May I have this dance?”

“Who say’s you’re leading?”

“I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m better.” Q smirked.

“Alright.” James chuckled allowing Q to lead—he was, admittedly, better. Q knew the song and beamed.

“Jen’s brilliant.”

“Why?”

“It’s a beautiful song.” Q smiled before he began to sing the beginning with the tenor of John Barrowman into James’ ear. “ _Heartbeats fast, colors and promises, how to be brave, how can I love when I’m afraid to fall, but watching you stand alone, all of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow…”_ James pressed kisses against Q’s neck as he sang to him. They were both aware that Brenda was recording them, but they couldn’t bring themselves to care.

James didn’t care about anything else. He had his man, his husband—dressed in a tailored suit of all things—and a beautiful daughter. He couldn’t care less about someone recording them—probably just to tease that James had allowed someone else to lead. Then again, Q’d been leading him since the day they’d met, really there was no difference.

Everyone applauded as they parted and Jen stepped forward, handing Ellie to Q. “Daddy-daughter dance.” She winked before taking James’ hands. “You will be leading me, darling.”

“Always, Jen.” James chuckled.

“Put your feet on mine honey.” Q smiled down at Ellie before the song started. Q sighed and sang to his daughter as they stepped together. “ _May the angels protect you, Trouble neglect you, And heaven accept you when it’s time to go home, May you always have plenty, Your glass never empty, And know in your belly, You're never alone.”_

“Thank you, Jen,” James whispered to the girl.

“What for?”

“A lot, but mostly for not killing me.”

“I only kill those who ask for it.” Jen shrugged.

“Thank you for this, he’s happy.”

“You both are, and I’m glad to see it. My two favorite gay men, happy.”

“Thanks, Jen.” Sarcasm dripping in his voice.

“I still have time to poison the champagne.” Jen threatened.

“Lovely.”

 _“Well I have to be honest, As much as I wanted, I'm not gonna promise the cold winds won't blow, So when hard times have found you, And your fears surround you, Wrap my love around you, You're never alone.”_ Jen sang, singing better than the voice on the track, perhaps because it was more heartfelt.

“That’s what Q is, isn’t he? Protection from the bad things.” James smiled.

“To a large group of people, yes.” Jen nodded. “But especially to that princess of his. Papa daughter dance next you know.”

“Papa’s get dances?”

“I’d never leave you out, James. You’re family, officially now.”

“True.” James smiled.

“I’ve never seen you smile so much.” Jen grinned. “I’m happy for you, but don’t send details about the next two weeks, promise? I don’t need to hear what you two get up to.” James laughed.

“Promise.” He grinned. Jen smiled and kissed James’ cheek before hugging him and pulling away.

“You’re turn, secret agent man.” She winked. She tapped Q’s shoulder and took his hand as James pulled Ellie up into his arms. He knew the song the instant he heard it start, and though he wasn’t as comfortable singing as Q was, he’d sing for Ellie.

“ _Come stop your crying it will be alright. Just take my hand hold it tight. I will protect you from, all around you, I’ll be here don’t you cry. For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can’t be broken I’ll be here, don’t you cry.”_ Ellie sand the chorus with him, having it memorized.

The man hardly cried after being kicked in the balls, hardly cried when he was tortured… Very few in the room had ever seen the man cry before, but if they did notice the tears that fell, no one ever mentioned them afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	22. Spare Bedroom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter and then an epilogue to wrap it up for you guys. :D

Spare Bedroom

 

Six months later, things were still peaceful, of course there were arguments and needs for adjustment, but the three had never been happier. On the wall were four pictures, one of Ellie, one of The Fighting Temeraire, and two charcoal silhouettes, one of James and one of Q—provided by Jen. James looked up from his armchair and glanced at the spare room they had upstairs, opposite of their bedroom. He wondered—but he shouldn’t…no… But he wanted…

Would Q be alright with it?

Would Mels?

How would they work it out?

He finished his drink and went up to bed. Q—as always—had his laptop out and was typing furiously, but there was no tension in his shoulders—he wasn’t working on anything serious. “Gabe—”

“One second.” Q responded, blinking under his glasses before he hit a few last keys and smiled, looking up. “Yes.”

“Can we talk?”

“I don’t like how tentative you sound, but yes, we can talk.” Q said, folding down his laptop.

“Um…don’t freak out okay?”

“Now I’m more nervous, you could really stop digging a hole can’t you?”

“Just, hear me out.”

“Okay, then talk.”

“We have three bedrooms.”

“Yes.”

“And…no friends that really visit.”

“Agreed.”

“And the ones who do sleep downstairs on the sofa.”

“Right on all accounts so far.”

“I don’t want that bedroom to be empty and I was wondering if you felt the same.”

“English, James?” Q asked confused at trying to follow the stuttered, broken logic.

“Would you want to have another baby?”

“What?”

“You know a little girl or little boy?”

“James Bond wants another kid?”

“I love, Melanie, I do…but I want another kid too. At risk of sounding like a girl I don’t feel like this picture is complete. I want to be there, the whole time, start to stop. I just…”

“Sh.” Q said, placing a finger against James’ lips. “I’ve been thinking about it too. It just isn’t…complete.”

“You have?” James smiled.

“What are we supposed to do though? Adopting _really_ wouldn’t be smart. Ellie was practically mine and M covered that up well and later we covered up your adoption of her, but we couldn’t do that with anyone else, not completely, and putting our names out there really wouldn’t be good for any of us.”

“Surrogacy?”

“We could probably get Medical in on that, but who would we trust enough for that? It would have to be someone we knew.”

“We’ll have to think on that.”

“Plus, we can’t forget to ask Ellie.”

“Yeah, we couldn’t do anything unless she was alright with it.” James nodded in agreement. “But you want—”

“Of course.” Q chuckled, pulling James into a hug and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

It wasn’t until much later that night that the question was asked. “Gabe?” James asked quietly. The boffin in his arms blearily blinked awake. “Gabe?”

“What?” Q asked.

“Which one of us would…you know?”

“You know what?”

“You know.”

“For being the biggest womanizer on the planet and sex incarnate you really do have issues with talking about these things don’t you?”

“Fuck off.” James muttered playfully, pressing kisses to the back of Q’s neck.

“You, of course.”

“Why?” James wondered.

“Well, Ellie’s already my blood, so it would only make sense for you to have some of yours out there.”

“Oh…right.”

“James…?”

“Hm?”

“Are you going to continue to act like a kid at Christmas or can I go to sleep?”

“You can sleep.” James commented, kissing Q again before pulling him tighter against him.

“Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Gabriel.”

800Q8

James had to wait until Q came home before they spoke to Ellie the next day and he spent most of the day nervous and anxious, but he thought Ellie would understand. She was smart. Q came home to dinner and had trouble containing his laughter at the obvious signs of nervousness in James. Put him in front of any mob boss, any murderer…but not his four-year-old daughter, never her. “Honey, can we talk?” Q asked.

“Of course.” Ellie nodded.

“Papa and I have been talking about having another baby.”

“Like I get a little brother or sister?” Ellie asked with wide eyes.

“Yes,” James nodded.

“I want a little brother or sister. When does—but wait… Neither of you are mommies.”

“We’re going to have to find a mommy, but would you be alright with having a little brother or sister?” James asked gently.

“Of course!” Ellie beamed.

“You have to understand what that means, honey.” Q started gently. “Babies need a lot of care. It may seem like we aren’t paying as much attention to you, but—”

“Babies are defenseless though, they need help.”

“Good word usage.” James muttered.

“Yes, the baby would need more care than you do, we won’t love you any less, but we may not always be able to drop everything for you like we always have.”

“I understand, daddy.” Ellie nodded.

“So, you’d be okay with that? Would you want a little sister or brother?”

“Yes.”

“Alright…”

“You’ll tell me if I’m gonna get one right.”

“Of course we’ll tell you.” James nodded.

“But where are you going to find a mommy?”

“Believe me honey, we have no clue.” James sighed. “But we’ll figure it out.”

800Q8

“Whoa, you look worn out.” Brenda commented. “Want a beer or something a little more powerful?” She suggested, looking at James.

“I’m sorry, just trying to figure something out. It not easy.”

“I bet it isn’t, you aren’t really known for your brains.” Brenda teased.

“Shut up.” James shook his head.

“So, what’s the crisis?”

“Gabe and I have been looking for a surrogate for months now and there’s no one. Either their married or engaged or not trustworthy or just not interested. Can’t just go anywhere, not with a family on the line.”

“I’m insulted.”

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me you and Gabe were trying to have another kid.”

“Well, we are.” James said, downing a glass.

“Model parent, right there.”

“Plenty of parents drink. I just don’t do it at home very often.”

“I hate to be very blunt… But do you realize you’re sitting across the table from your best friend who happens to be a lesbian whom you’ve never even asked.”

“Asked what?”

“Dear God, how does a bright kid like Gabe live with a dimwit like you?” Brenda rolled her eyes. “I’d do it.”

“Just like that?” James asked after a moment of shocked silence.

“James, I understand. Adopting would be scary for records, you can’t really depend on a normal hospital, and you need someone you trust. I would do it for you guys.”

“Isn’t your wife trying to get knocked up?”

“Yeah, but you’re my friend, then we can bond over babies.” Brenda shrugged. “Look, you’re my friend and I love Gabe to death and Ellie deserves a little sibling and you two deserve another kid, you’re wonderful with that girl—even when you’re out of town a lot killing bad guys. I mean, you’re both superdads. I’d love to help you out. I get I’d have to go get poked by doctors and stop drinking, but the wife’s making me quit drinking anyway to suffer with her, so really… I’m already going on the diet, might as well help. I’ll ask the wife, but she loves you guys, she’ll be fine.”

“Brenda…thank you.”

“Hey, just don’t get all touchy feely.”

“Yeah…no…” James shook his head. “You realize though that…that means I’m technically going to knock you up, right?” Brenda leaned forward, raising an eyebrow.

“As long as it isn’t done the old fashioned way, we’re going to be fine.”

“I agree.” James nodded taking a small sip of a drink.

“What are you doing?”

“What?”

“Go home! Tell Gabe!”

“Thank you. I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah…still have to do the whole doctor routine so don’t start with all the lovin’ yet.” James kissed her cheek anyway and rushed off, getting home as quickly as possible and pulling the door open. He found Q in his office.

“What has you so excited?” Q wondered.

“Brenda.”

“Brenda what?” Q asked before his mouth fell open. “Brenda? She didn’t…”

“She did. She just offered it and…” Q smiled brightly.

“What are you doing over there?”

“I don’t know.”  James said before rushing across the room, hugging Q tightly.

They were going to have a baby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you wanted to know "Brenda" is based off of Brenda from The Rules of Engagement, who was the surrogate for two of the main characters. I loved her character, so I borrowed her. I don't own her either.   
> Much Love.


	23. They Deserved It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter will be posted soon, which will bring us back to the beginning.   
> Hope there was some sweetness here. :D  
> Please welcome Devin Alexander Benjamin Bond.

They Deserved It

 

When the door opened James was the only person up, Ellie had gone to sleep hours ago. The man in the doorway looked exhausted. James didn’t say a word as he got up to make a cup of tea, Q took off his coat and hung it up before going into the dining room, leaning against the back of a chair. “Did Eve call?”

“Yes.” James nodded.

“Don’t bother boiling the water…got any scotch hiding in there?” James turned and raised an eyebrow at him.

“That bad?”

“Fuck yes.”

“No one died, you know.” James commented, pouring a glass for Q.

“Because I nearly worked myself to death. Just because something’s a success doesn’t mean it’s fun.” Q tossed it back in one go. “God, now I know why I don’t drink that shit.” James chuckled and wrapped his arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to the back of his tense neck.

“Come on, sweetie.” James whispered softly before leading Q up the stairs.

“James—”

“Sh…” James whispered, leading him into the bathroom and locking the door behind them. Q froze, James had filled the huge tub, turned on the jets, and dimmed the lights to a less abrasive level.

“James—”

“Sh.” James said again before he knelt down and began to untie Q’s shoes, gently lifting each foot in turn to pull them off. He gently pulled off his socks before standing up, his knees cracking.

“My poor old man.” Q said, wincing in sympathy.

“Shut it, spotty.” James teased back lightly as he pulled off Q’s cardigan. As he loosened Q’s tie, Q couldn’t help but smile. He had the best husband in the world. 007 was a hero, confident, full of raw power and sex appeal, sinuous, calm, authoritative, commanding, strong, loyal, protective, devoted... Bond was all smugness and taunting and teasing. Everyone got to see those bits and Q loved those bits, but he cherished the bits that were wholly James, the parts others didn’t get to see. James was soft, sweet, loving, tender, happy, childish, giving… James was a very sexual being and Q never complained…mostly because James was a god in bed, but also because James knew how to read every inch of Q. He knew when to be deliciously rough, when to just claim, when to let himself be claimed, when to be all passion, when to be all love, when to be all tenderness…and when sex wasn’t called for at all in the situation.

He worked open the buttons on Q’s shirt before slipping it off. He undid Q’s belt and removed it before working his way down, until even Q’s socks and glasses were gone. James gently helped Q get settled in the blissfully hot water before kneeling next to him. James was never so glad for short-sleeves as he gently rubbed Q’s tight shoulder. “Oh, don’t do that.” Q said, even as he arched into James’ hands.

“Why?”

“Because I’ll never let you stop.”

“That’s fine, Gabriel, just let me do this.” James whispered.

God, it hurt, but it felt so good at the same time.

“You know, we all really appreciate you, don’t you?”

“Hmm?”

“All of us agents…we notice, we see what you do and we appreciate it, you know?”

“I know, how else can all of the chocolates be explained?” Q chuckled and groaned when James found a knot.

“Sh…give it a second.” James soothed, working it out gently before moving onto Q’s neck, trying to get rid of the tension there.

“God…why are you a secret agent? And why in the hell are you so good at everything?”

“I’m not good at everything.”

“Everything that counts.” Q chuckled. James shook his head gently as he felt Q finally begin to start melting under his hands. He gently grabbed a rag and began to wash Q’s shoulders and neck with a musky, spicy smelling body wash. Q kept his eyes closed and allowed himself to completely relax as James began to scrub down one of his arms. James placed the rag down before taking Q’s left hand into his, he kissed each finger and the ring there before he began to massage his palm, fingers, and wrists tenderly, knowing how they cramped after long days. He repeated the same on Q’s other side before leaning him forward and scrubbing his back.

“You’re almost human.” James teased lightly.

“I’m almost a puddle.” Q retorted, but his voice was weaker, tired. James smiled.

“Don’t open your eyes.” James warned before he washed Q’s curls. He rinsed them out before he stood up—thankfully without his knees protesting—and he helped Q up and out of the tub, helping to dry him off. James ran the back of his hand over the stubble on his cheek. “I can take care of that if you want.”

“Not tonight… I wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy your straight razor skills.” James smirked.

“Alright, tomorrow then.” James promised, helping him into a fresh pair of pants before carrying him to their room. He gently lay Q down on the bed before he shut the door and turned off the lights. He slid behind Q and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him against his chest before he pulled the covers over them.

“I love you, James.”

“I love you, Gabriel.”

“Thank you for this.”

“Thank you.” James responded simply, clinging to the warmth between them and pressing gentle kisses on the skin he could reach, drawing gentle circles on Q’s hip with his fingers, even after Q’s body had gone slack against him.

“I love you, Gabriel.” James said one more time before shutting his eyes.

800Q8

The next day was brighter.

“It’s Friday.” James commented excitedly as Q slipped on his shirt, starting to button it.

“What are you talking about?” Q asked. James was instantly behind him, wrapping his arms around him and leaning over his shoulder.

“Are you kidding?” James asked, pressing kisses to Q’s neck. “Brenda takes a pregnancy test tomorrow.”

“Yes, thirty hours from now…calm down, sweetie. Save your panic for later, trust me, you’ll need it.”

“I’m not panicked, I’m excited, very big difference.” Q turned and raised an eyebrow at James. “Okay…it’s a bit of both.” James amended. Q smiled and pulled James into a kiss.

“I love you, but calm down. You can’t do anything for a day, so try to relax a bit. I can’t have my old man have a heart attack on me. Then where would I be?”

“I’m not that old.”

“Compared to who?” Q asked with a warm, teasing smile as he turned away. James smacked him on the ass and Q jumped.

“Respect your elders, boy.”

“So you admit it?”

“Elder just means older than you—which is true.” James smirked.

“True.” Q chuckled, pulling on his tie and tightening it before he leaned forward and kissed James’ cheek. “Thank you, for last night…and this morning.” Q smirked. James’ eyes glimmered as he ran a hand over Q’s smooth cheek…and he glanced down at the love bites that barely hid under his collar.

“Any time.”

“There’s some food in the fridge, but you would be my hero if you did the shopping this week.”

“I’m always your hero.”

“True.” Q grinned. “I’m going to say good morning to Ellie and take off, alright?”

“Alright.” James grinned, pulling Q into one more kiss. “Have a quiet day.”

“AH! No!”

“What?”

“Never say ‘quiet’ I’m doomed now.” Q sighed heavily and left the room, stopping to say good morning to Ellie before he headed for MI6.

800Q8

James was staring at the phone. “James?” Q commented. “James? 007?” James looked up instantly.

“What?”

“If you stare at that phone it will combust…and you’re making me anxious.”

“But I’m excited.”

“I am too, but staring at the phone doesn’t get results any sooner.”

“Surely we could break into their flat, right? Can’t we just go and—” The phone rang, James snatched it up and both he and Q sandwiched the poor object, both anxiously pressed to it. “Hello?”

“Am I speaking to Mr. and Mr. Bond?” Brenda asked, her voice cautious, worried.

“Brenda if you don’t start talking I swear we’ll ruin you.” James commented.

“I don’t think it’s in your best interest to threaten the woman carrying your baby.” Brenda commented. Whether it was the fear of having another life in his hands or the excitement of having a child, James dropped the phone, his hands feeling oddly numb.

“Gabe—”

“James.” Q beamed. Tears shined in both of their eyes and they pulled each other into a hug instantly, kisses and silent tears and happy laughs between them.

A few minutes later they realized that Brenda was still on the phone. Q picked up the phone and listened to a dial tone. “She hung up… Oh God, we’re going to have a baby.” Q beamed.

“A baby.” James smiled warmly. “We need to tell, Ellie.”

“Yeah, come on.” Q grinned, he and James walking hand-in-hand to their little girl’s room.

“Princess?” James called.

“Hi daddy, hi pa—why are you crying?” Ellie asked with wide eyes. “Is evewything okay?”

“They’re happy tears, honey.” Q assured her.

“Princess, that baby we were talking about? We’re going to have a baby.” James smiled. Ellie gasped and smiled.

“Really? Am I going to have a brother or sister?”

“Um, we don’t know that yet and we won’t know for a while… See it’ll be a few months before he or she gets here, but we’ll find out soon enough, alright?”

“I’m happy.”

There were no better words than that description. They were all so happy.

800Q8

“Gabe!” James shouted, racing up the stairs and grabbing the ladder that teetered under him.

“Yes, yelling at someone standing on the top of a ladder has to be the best way to ensure they don’t fall.” Q rolled his eyes before he dropped down a garbage bag and then he left the ladder all together, jumping into the attic. “Remind me to put a ladder in someday, you know, one that’s attached.”

“What are you even doing?”

“Baby things.” Q said simply.

“By yourself?”

“I’m not hopeless, you do realize I moved all of this into my old flat by myself, don’t you?” Q said before managing to lower pieces of a crib down. “Since you’re here you can be helpful.” James shook his head and grabbed the rail Q handed down before resting it against the wall. Soon the last piece was slipped down and Q balanced on top of the ladder.

“Dear God, Gabe…don’t fall.” James whispered as the ladder shook. Q rolled his eyes and climbed down it. “I’m getting a new ladder.”

“No, it has personality.”

“It’s going to rot, topple over, or break with you on it one of these days.”

“Never.” Q smiled, patting the ladder affectionately. “We’ve come to an agreement. It can only kill those who doubt it…so…don’t use it, alright?”

“I’d never climb that deathtrap.”

“Yes, because chasing after bombs is so much less reckless.”

“Even I have my limits, Gabe.” James shook his head. “You could have given me a heart attack.”

“Just wait until we have to put that together. It took me six hours to figure it out last time.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a genius?”

“Yes, well the directions were in grammatically incorrect Chinese, so screw you.” Q commented. “Ready for the first stresses of having a kid?”

“Sure.” James chuckled. “But how were you going to get those down without me?”

“I had a rope, I would have lowered them one at a time.” Q shrugged before grabbing a piece of the crib and heading towards the empty spare room.

800Q8

Brenda came over to the Bond home two days later. Q smiled and kissed both of her cheeks gently. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, Sarah, she’s got three weeks on me, but she’s miserable…poor thing.”

“I’m sorry.” Q frowned. “I’m sure she’ll feel better.”

“I hope so.” Brenda shrugged and thanked Q when he eased her coat off for her. “Where’s the gun to your laser sights?”

“Should be down—”

“What do you carry in your purse?” James asked before he promptly swept the sizable bag away from her. “Shouldn’t be carrying too much, you know.” He said, setting it down on the sofa.

“What’s wrong with him?” Brenda asked in a whisper.

“I’ve…sort of been through this process before…he hasn’t. I think he’s lost it a bit. He’s read maternity books…not just for expecting husbands but for mothers as well…”

“He’s lost it.”

“He’s not going to…like…not let me have an occasional cup of tea is he?”

“I don’t know…just try not to…freak out on him. He’s a bit…”

“Freaked out?”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Great.” Brenda sighed.

800Q8

In just over two months Q, James, and Brenda sat in medical—a first willing trip for James—as a doctor spread a gel over Brenda’s stomach. She winced and wrinkled her nose. “Sorry, I know it’s cold.” Dr. Roberts frowned.

“Could have warmed it up then.” Brenda chuckled.

“True.” Dr. Roberts jibbed back good-naturedly. Q smiled, Brenda was a lot less hormonal than his sister-in-law had been. She’d gone from happy, sad, angry, crying, to ooh look ice crème in a matter of minutes it seemed like. Whatever the reason, Q was glad for it. “Alright, let’s take a look, shall we?” She smiled at the three of them before touching the wand to Brenda’s barely bloated stomach. A vaguely human-shaped smattering of grey appeared in the grey and black. “There we are. We’re looking good developmentally as far as I can tell.” She smiled before pointing things out. “Here’s the head, and the body, and starts of legs and arms. And here is the heartbeat.” She flipped a switch and a sound filled the room. James nearly collapsed.

James knew it had been real, knew they were having a baby. He’d set up a damn crib. He’d read baby books. He’d looked at clothes. He’d looked at the safety things they’d have to add to the house. He’d looked at toys when he went grocery shopping. He had coddled Brenda in a way he never thought he would…

But this was different. It was real. A tiny little person, completely unspoiled by the real world and it was his responsibility to keep it that way for as long as he could, all while preparing them to be strong enough to face the real world.

It was terrifying.

It was perfect and good.

It was terrifying.

Q looked up at him and pulled him into a tight hug, knowing exactly what he was going through, he’d felt it when he’d learned that he would have to raise Melanie, that he was alone in it, that he was responsible for her. It was a crushing weight, but a rewarding, lovely one.

It was the happiest, scariest moment of James’ life though.

“It’s going to be alright, James.” Q whispered gently, too quietly for anyone else to hear. “I promise.”

“Can you promise?”

“I just did.” Q smiled, pressing a kiss to James’ temple before turning back to the screen in wonder. “Could we get a print?”

“Of course, Q.”

800Q8

“Ellie? Jen?” James called.

“GAME OFF!” Jen called and rushed down the stairs as Ellie ran out from the kitchen. “So…how’d it go?” Jen asked with wide eyes.

“Everything looks perfect.” Q grinned.

“That’s good.” Jen smiled.

“We have a picture.” James grinned proudly.

“Can we see?” Ellie wondered.

“Of course.” James pulled it free and passed it to Ellie. Ellie looked at it curiously and then confusedly.

“That’s my sibling?” Ellie wondered. Q knelt down and pointed to the picture.

“See, there’s their head, and their body, and their legs, and their arms. See now?”

“Yeah…but baby looks weird.”

“Baby’s still developing and the camera they use to take the picture has a hard time seeing into the belly, so it comes out a little blurry.”

“Oh, okay…” Ellie shrugged. “Hi, baby.” She smiled and kissed the picture gently. “Want to see, Aunty Jen? This is my little baby brother or sister.” She said proudly. “Is it my brother or sister?”

“We don’t know yet, sweetie.” James smiled as Jen looked the picture over.

“I’m still happy for you two.” Jen grinned before kissing them both on the cheek and hugging them. “And I’m glad baby and mommy are safe and healthy.”

“We are too.” Q nodded.

It was another shock to the system. James knew the baby was fragile, but he’d never even taken into account how many things could go wrong.

The next six months were going to be hell with all the stress. He actually wished there were a few, short missions during the non-essential times, just so he could get his mind off of all the worries he had.

800Q8

James just got back from Germany when he walked through every other branch and into medical. It would have been a miracle, if it weren’t Brenda’s 20th week and she weren’t in medical with Q. James slipped into the room and Brenda raised an eyebrow at him. He looked down at himself, there was some blood, but—really—it was minor. “Just don’t touch her, Bond.” Dr. Roberts sighed heavily. “Alright, let’s check the little one out, alright?” Soon a new picture was on the screen. James and Q smiled at the recognizable figure. “Well, did you two want to know the gender?”

“James?”

“I get enough surprises.”

“Me too.” Q agreed.

“You’re having a boy.” Q smiled and kissed James’ cheek.

Everything was going to be perfect.

800Q8

When Brenda visited, James and/or Q would talk to the baby, read to him, or sing quietly to him. James and Q both felt for little kicks and Ellie talked animatedly about cats and whatever else held her attention on that particular day. Brenda was a good sport through it all, understanding exactly how they felt, what with Sarah being pregnant as well.

Everything was perfect.

800Q8

“Left, 009, damn it.” Q snapped, typing quickly, watching the agent rush through the building.

“It didn’t look like a good option.”

“You better damn well trust me next time. If I have to blow up a whole city block to get your incompetent ass out of that hellhole I will kill you when you get back.”

“That time of the month, Q?”

“For you? I’m afraid so. Now, backtrack, there is a flight of stairs on your right, go up it.”

“Just for clarification… Right?”

“Yes, you sarcastic ass, move it.” The phone on Q’s desk rang, but he didn’t have time to answer it. He had a cell of terrorists, a bomb, and a wounded agent to worry about. It rang again, but he didn’t notice it. “Stop on this floor and make a run for it down the hall to your left, but do be quiet. Go into the last door on your left and plant the bomb.”

“Gotcha, Q.” Q kept as many men as he could off of 009, waiting for the right moment. His phone rang again. “Set.”

“Get the hell out, however you choose, though I don’t suggest jumping out a window, I suggest the route I took you through the building, do you need me to walk you through it?”

“I’ve got it, Q.” 009 assured him.

“Good, I’ll detonate when you’re clear.”

“I always did love fireworks.” Q’s phone rang again. Q picked it up.

“What James?”

“Why didn’t you answer?”

“Because I was busy, people were getting shot at, I’m sorry.”

“Lover’s spat?”

“Shut it, 009.” Q hissed.

“Q, I’m sorry I snapped at you, but it’s the baby—”

“Is there something wrong?” Q asked instantly terrified.

“If labor is wrong.”

“Oh my God.”

“What’s wrong, bof?”

“Can you hurry it up, Q, in any way?”

“009, if you’re not out of the blast zone in less than a minute I’m blowing the top off anyway.”

“Labor?”

“You’re not supposed to know about that.” Q commented.

“James had a baby book on him. I put two and two together. I’ll move my ass, Q.” 009 promised.

“James, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Love you, see you soon.”

“See you soon, love.” Q smiled.

“I’m clear, Q.”

“Thank Christ.” Q said before blowing up the building. “I’m transferring you to R, you’re home free.”

“Good luck, Q, and congratulations.”

“Thank you, 009.” Q smiled before transferring 009 and sprinting for medical.

800Q8

Devin Alexander Benjamin Bond was born four hours later at 2334, barely over six pounds, blonde haired, blue eyes, and a bit bloody. As soon as he was cleaned and tended to he was placed gently in James’ arms. Tears ran down James’ face as the baby boy gripped his hand for the first time, holding on tightly. “Devin.” James stated. Q nodded, stepping close so he could gently stroke the back of the his hand. Q wasn’t surprised by the first name, James had admitted to liking it. “Devin Alexander Benjamin Bond.” Q froze. Alexander was his middle name, Benjamin was his brother’s name, he couldn’t help but feel touched.

“Perfect.” Q whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Devin’s forehead. Brenda couldn’t help but smile up at the two of them. It was beautiful, seeing how happy they were, all smiles and tears and cooing out of the two most dangerous men in the world.

Of all the people in the world, they deserved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


	24. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end, hope you enjoyed the ride and I am thankful to everyone who has read, kudo'd, commented, subscribed, and bookmarked (ect, just in case I forgot one).  
> And yes, I had some outside inspiration for the last bit...forgive me.

Epilogue

 

“So Aunt Brenda helped us bring Devin into the world and you got your baby brother, we got a son… Then we were a full family. You know the ups and downs from there.” Q smiled, sitting on the edge of Ellie’s bed.

“So the moral of the story is that you lied.” Ellie commented.

“What?” Q asked, confused.

“Well, you told Papa you’d get me a kitten and I still don’t have a kitten.” Ellie smiled teasingly.

“All of that and you got ‘no kitten’ out of it?”

“Pretty much.” Ellie nodded. Q sighed and shook his head.

“You are your Papa’s daughter, that’s for sure.”

“Why did you leave Shaw in my name?”

“So you could keep a bit of them in you…I thought you might appreciate it one day, you can always change it.”

“I kinda like it, and I’m used to it.” Ellie sighed and shrugged.

“You understand a little better?” Q asked, tucking her hair behind her ear gently.

“Yeah…I’m really blessed.”

“How’s that?”

“Well, I had two parents who loved me and I lost them, but I got two more parents who love me so much…most people can’t say that they have four parents who love them so much.” Q smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Want some dinner?”

“Yes, please.”

“Come on, shorty.” Q said before the pair of them went down the stairs James looked up at Q and Q smiled at him. “Want anything specific for dinner or am I just going to wing it?”

“I’m good.” James promised. Q leaned over the back of the couch and kissed him.

“She’s getting a kitten this Friday, just as fair warning.”

“Finally. I thought I’d never make an honest man out of you.”

Q slapped him across the back of his head.

800Q8

James was in his best suit and Q was next to him only in a suit because Melanie had insisted on it. Devin sat on James’ lap and played idly with a stuffed puppy he’d gotten for Christmas. He pulled on the floppy ears and hugged the little thing tightly. Each child got up with their parents in turn, talking about their parents—with their parents standing at the front of the class with them. There were stories and giggles, but somehow, Devin managed to fall asleep. “Lord, little James can sleep anywhere.”

“Why do you keep calling him that?” James asked in a whisper, amused.

“Because sometimes he’s just so _you_ there’s nothing else to say. He can sleep anywhere, I swear.”

“It’s a good ability to have.” James shrugged.

“You realize the two single mothers in the room have done nothing but stare at you, James?”

“I think they’re looking at you, darling.” James said simply.

“Nope, definitely you. You’re the sexy one.”

“You’re the beautiful one.”

“Daddy, Papa, sh.” Ellie warned quietly. “Don’t be rude.”

“Sorry, princess.” They said together.

“Melanie Shaw-Bond?” Mrs. Riley called.  Ellie got up and James and Q started to stand up. Ellie looked at them and shook her head, gesturing that they should sit down. James and Q looked at each other, but sat down. Ellie slipped something out of her bag and walked up to the front of the class.

“I’m Melanie and I am extra special when it comes to parents. I have four parents.” Ellie said, raising a picture frame she had in her hand. “This is my mummy and her name was Megan. This is my father and his name was Benjamin.” The parents in the room frowned a bit, noticing the past tense. “My mommy and my father loved me a lot. They really wanted kids and a few years after they married, they had me. When I was a baby my mummy and father had to go on a business trip, so my mummy and father left me with my uncle—my father’s twin brother. They didn’t want to leave me, but they had to and when they did their plane crashed and they didn’t make it. I was too little to remember them, but I know they loved me a lot, more than most. Then my uncle adopted me and became my daddy.” She called Q up with a wave of her hand. Q handed Devin to James and got up, standing behind Ellie. “This is my daddy, his name is Gabriel and he’s the smartest man in the world. He works for the government and keeps us safe from all the dangerous things we can’t see or fight. He didn’t have to love me, he didn’t have to raise me, I wasn’t his responsibility, but he took me into his home and loves me and cares for me more than any daddy could. Then he met my Papa, James who’s a soldier in the navy.” She lied, but it was the lie she’d been told to tell. “Papa didn’t have to love me, but he chose to and freely does so every day. He even asked me and Daddy if he could become a part of our family.” She smiled as James joined them. “He’s the most fun and loving papa ever, and he’s also the strongest and bravest man in the world. And this is also my baby brother Devin. He’s a little over one and likes to sleep.” She sighed and smiled. “This is my family, its little and broken, but stitched together with lots of love and loyalty and devotion. We found each other and chose to love one-another more than we care for anyone else. So, while it’s not conventional or normal, we’re a family and we are perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much Love.


End file.
